Star Wars KOTOR 1: Genesis
by A. J. Lambert
Summary: Though a general novelisation of the first game, this is intended to be the first in a series, so I've added characters such as Kreia, Atris, and Brianna into the mix. Enjoy! Oh, and please R&R - especially if it concerns any spelling & grammar mistakes!
1. Prologue

**Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic I**

_This is dedicated to all those who have done battle with darkness, in whatever form, and come away whole._

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away….

Four thousand years before the rise and fall of the Galactic Empire, the Old Republic verges on collapse. DARTH MALAK, last surviving apprentice of the Dark Lord Revan, has unleashed an invincible Sith armada upon an unsuspecting galaxy.

Crushing all resistance, Malak's war of conquest has left the Jedi Order scattered and vulnerable as countless Knights fall in battle, and many more swear allegiance to the new Sith Master

In the skies above the Outer Rim world of Taris, a Jedi battle feet engages the forces of Darth Malak in a desperate effort to halt the Sith's galactic domination…

**Dramatis Personae**

Aaryn Savo - Jedi Apprentice (male Human)  
>Arren Kae - Jedi Master (female Human)<br>Atris - Jedi Master (female Human)  
>Atton Rand - Assassin (male Human)<br>Bastila Shan - Jedi Apprentice (female Human)  
>Brianna - Force-user (female HumanEchani hybrid)  
>Calo Nord - Bounty hunter (male Human)<br>Canderous Ordo - Mercenary (male Mandalorian)  
>Carth Onasi - Commander; Republic fleet (male Human)<br>Chitt - Jedi Master (female Toydarian)  
>Darth Bandon - Sith Apprentice (male Human)<br>Darth Malak (formerly Alek Squinquargesimus) - Dark Lord of the Sith (male Human)  
>Darth Revan - Dark Lord of the Sith (male Human)<br>Dorak - Jedi Master (male Human)  
>Fiennes Tarkin - Supreme Chancellor of the Galactic Republic (male Human)<br>Forn Dodonna - Admiral; Commander of the Republic Fleet (female Human)  
>Jolee Bindo - Force-user (male Human)<br>HK-47 - Assassin droid  
>Kavar - Jedi Master (male Human)<br>Kreia – Force-user (female Human)  
>Lonna Vash - Jedi Master (female Human)<br>Mission Vao - Hidden Bek (female Twi'lek)  
>Prilka Doj - Jedi Master (male Geonosian)<br>Rema Lamar - HoloNet Journalist (female Human)  
>Saul Karath - Admiral; Sith Empire fleet (male Human)<br>T3-M4 - Astromech droid  
>Tiimah - Jedi Master (male Zabrak)<br>Tol Cressa - Senator (male Togruta)  
>Vandar Tokare - Jedi Master<br>Veryte - Jedi Master (female Mandalorian)  
>Vrook Lamar - Jedi Master (male Human)<br>Yu'la Juhani - Jedi Knight (female Cathar)  
>Zaalbar - Hidden Bek (male Wookiee)<br>Zez-Kai Ell - Jedi Master (male Human)  
>Zhar Lestin - Jedi Master (male Twi'lek)<p>

Historian's Note

This tale is set approximately 3,956 years before the destruction of the first Death Star (Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope).

PROLOGUE

_JEDI ENCLAVE, DANTOOINE_

"The fact of the matter is that none of us here can accurately know what he is capable of!"

"Are you really so certain?"

Jedi Master Vrook Lamar was more than prepared enough to stand his ground on this issue with Master Vandar Tokare. He had been prepared to stand his ground months beforehand, only to find that the issue had already been decided upon before his arrival in the Jedi Enclave. _Dantooine, though peaceful, is proving to be the wrong place to have a nap_ was Vrook's immediate thought that afternoon, having awoken late in his personal quarters. _It's bad enough there's a war going on, but being _this _late for a council meeting…I'll never hear the end of it_.

Pulling on his Jedi robes, the thought of: _I need to see Master Jacol about having these boots resized _sprang to mind. Glancing in his bathroom mirror, Vrook could've sworn his hair had been not-as-grey the week before. He pushed his boots onto his feet, and rushed out of his quarters. Quickly stepping out from the doorway that led to the Enclave's Sub-level a short minute later, Vrook made pace toward the main entrance of the Council Chambers.

When he got there, Vrook noted that the esteemed Apprentice Bastila Shan was present, waiting patiently for her master, Emiq Thop to finish deliberating with the Council. Beside Bastila, stood Padawan Fawra Tore and his own master, Kreia. Kreia, whose teachings Vrook – and many of the Jedi – considered to be heretical, was only present to fulfil Tore's elevation to Knighthood. Afterwards, she'd be escorted out of the Enclave, and away from any vulnerable Jedi students. Vrook politely nodded to the three, and entered the Council Chambers as Master Thop finished his argument..

"…and so, I believe that Bastila is ready for the trials. She has faced _many_ hardships in the past decade, and I have taught her everything I can, given the circumstances."

"Master Thop," came the stout and firm reply of Master Vandar. "What of Bastila's Battle Meditation? Would it not be prudent for her to gain more insight into its uses?"

"While I understand your convictions toward your appointing her as a Jedi Knight, Bastila's control over her abilities has improved considerably over such a short span of time. My instincts tell me that she _is_ ready for the trials; you must see this."

"We do, Thop, we do," assured Vrook confidently, his left hand touching Thop's arm sincerely. He had known Thop almost all his Jedi life; they were chosen to be bunk mates early in their training some 63 years earlier. He removed his hand, took his position next to Master Zhar Lestin, who announced, "There is only one test we can give young Bastila. She is to lead a squadron of Jedi fighters to board the _Leviathan_, and capture Revan. Alive if possible."

_To capture Revan?_ thought Bastila. "Masters, I'm honoured that you would select me for this mission, but are you sure there are no other Jedi that can do this? Jedi who are better trained - such as Master Kreia, or Master Thop?"

_She's wise, I'll grant her that, though wisdom can have its drawbacks_. "Bastila, you must understand that we did not take this decision lightly," stated Vrook. "The fact of the matter is, the Jedi Order simply has not undertaken a mission of this magnitude since the ending of The Great Sith War. We feel that with your skill in Battle Meditation, you will have the greatest chance of capturing the Dark Lord. However, this is entirely voluntary; we will not force this upon you."

"But beware," Zhar chimed in. "If you choose to participate in this mission, not only will your Battle Meditation be tested, but also your skills in courage, leadership…and your personal skills with other aspects of the Force."

"Masters, I understand the implications," reflected Bastila. "But I believe…" she took a breath. "I believe that I am ready for this. For I understand the consequences if I _don't_ do this." Her grey eyes burned with a fire she hadn't felt since before her first lesson in lightsabre combat with Vandar. "I accept this mission, Masters."

"You have our trust, Bastila," said Vandar. "And our faith." With that, Vandar stood, and took Bastila's hand in his. "May the Force be with you, young one."

Bastila breathed a sigh of relief, and slowly, sincerely, smiled. "Thank you, Master Vandar. May the Force be with you."

She exchanged similar farewells with the rest of the Council, before turning and heading toward her quarters.

* * *

><p>As soon as the rest of Dantooine's Jedi Council left the chamber, Vandar sensed a tremor in the Force.<p>

"Vandar, I want to know why my recommendations were ignored."

_Ah, Master Vrook._ Obviously, _this_ was from whence the tremor originated.

Vrook came striding up to the diminutive Jedi Master almost until they were nose-to-knee. "Vandar Tokare, I thought the Council had agreed to further discuss my misgivings on sending Bastila Shan on this mission."

"Master Vrook, Revan and Malak are in position to directly strike at Chandrila. That fact is most disturbing; a fact that they can create a beach-head from which to assault other major Republic planets - including Coruscant."

The beach-head that Darth Revan and Darth Malak had the profound chance of creating would be located just under 4,000 light years from Coruscant itself. Having already taken Ralltiir, Bogden, Arkania, Esseles and Brentaal mere weeks before, and many dozens of other systems prior to that, the substantial forces of the Sith Empire had almost tripled in size owing to the conscription laws brought-in in those systems. Except, as the Jedi Council on Coruscant had theorised, that the Empire had some other strategy in motion; a strategy that had added innumerable warships, such as the _Leviathan_, to the Sith fleet in a matter of months.

But what really freaked the Republic _and _even the Jedi, was that the warships were of previously-unknown alien design.

And with this new design came a horror unlike anything the Republic had seen since its inception 20,000 years ago. Where the Jedi stood their ground, the Sith would snuff the life out of the system. Whole planets forsaken of life; to step upon the surface of them would make any sane person shudder with eeriness. Should Chandrila fall to the Sith, Coruscant, The Republic, and the Jedi Order would soon follow suit.

That very thought was enough to make even the great Jedi Master Vrook's skin crawl. "That may well be, but are we completely confident Bastila is truly ready for a test of this magnitude?"

"Have faith in the Force you must, my friend. Only that can help Bastila find her way - and find it, she must."

* * *

><p>Bastila's brunette hair seemed to glide in Dantooine's natural, gentle morning breeze. She had spent all the previous night in her quarters drawing up battle plans and fleet movements for the ambush on Revan's fleet that would begin the next day, and so she had decided she'd earned herself a nice, relaxing meditation session at the Ancient Grove.<p>

The grove, which had been built around 17 years previously by Bastila herself, was initially a gift to the entire Jedi Enclave on Dantooine, to be shared and tended by all who stayed at the Enclave. And in those 17 years, so much care and tenderness had been poured into the grove, all the while leaving Bastila as the only Jedi who even used the welcoming and pleasant locale.

"_We feel that with your skill in Battle Meditation, you will have the greatest chance of capturing the Dark Lord,"_ Master Vrook had said during the Council meeting only yesterday. _So this is what I must face to become a Jedi Knight. But Master Thop has every confidence in me, as I do him._

Bastila slowly closed her eyes, lowered her hands to her knees, and concentrated. _Somehow_, she thought, _this cross-legged position makes meditation much easier._ Bastila banished the thought, promising to bring it back to mind for reflection after the mission, and fell into her deeper consciousness. _The Force flows through me; through all living things. There is no emotion, there is peace. There is no ignorance, there is knowledge. There is no passion, there is serenity. There is no death, there is only the Force._

She stretched deeper still. The Force flowed through her, guiding her meditations. The ceramic tiles around and under her began to lift into the air as her telekinetic abilities were focused by the Force. Bastila had been born with uncanny psionic potential; admittedly though, it had taken her several years on Dantooine to master her mental dexterity.

Several hours later, sunset had begun to creep-in. The blood-red sky was indeed a thing of beauty as Bastila gazed upon the horizon. Through the Force, she could feel one of the Masters calling for her presence in the Council Chambers. _I'll be right there, Master, _she thought out in response.

* * *

><p>Vrook, Vandar, Thop, and Zhar were already sat in their respective seats in the Council Chambers as Bastila entered. As soon as she saw them coming into view around the corner, she spotted two holograms of Masters she had not yet met - a man and a woman. The woman was dressed in simple snow-white robes, which seemed to match that of her hair and eyes. Her face however, was all but snowy; to Bastila it seemed more frosty than most. The man had dark skin, brown eyes, and black hair. From his facial features alone, Bastila determined that he was of Corellian descent. She turned to face Vrook as she stopped in the centre of the room.<p>

"Bastila," Vrook began. _To the point, as always._ "May I introduce Master Atris of the Jedi High Council on Coruscant, and Master Dorak, currently stationed at the conclave on Yavin IV." The two politely nodded in acknowledgement to Bastila, before Vrook continued. "Before you leave to join with the Republic fleet, I'm afraid that this Council must ask once more of you."

"We need you to put together a strong strike team," the woman, Atris, added. "To build a fleet of such magnitude, Revan _must _have some sort of shipyard."

At this point, Dorak elected to speak up. "But this mission is on-going, and concurrent with your ambush in the Juvelian system. Invariably, this shipyard will be heavily guarded, and may also function as Revan and Malak's base of operations."

"Your first priority is to capture Revan, Bastila," Atris announced. "However, if you have the potential, we grant you the authority to apprehend Malak also."

_Capture Revan (and possibly Malak as well), and seek out the Sith shipyards. Maybe…of course, that's it!_

"Masters," Bastila began. "Perhaps there may be a way of having our cake and eating it too."

"To what are you referring, Bastila?" asked Vandar.

"As Jedi Masters, you have the ability to remove, and often replace, the memories of other life forms."

The Masters, particularly Vrook, looked somewhat taken aback. "What you speak of is an ancient technique, one we Jedi have not used for thousands of years. One that an Apprentice should have no knowledge of!"

"As I said yesterday, Vrook," said Thop. "I have taught her all I know."

Vrook stared at Thop, his eyes showing his internal battle between his anger and his Jedi training.

"Calm yourself, old friend," said Zhar. "In times of war, we must rally together to defeat the common foe. To do so, we must first be willing to put aside our differences."

"Masters, please!" begged Bastila. "If we capture Revan and replace his memories, we can use _him_ to lead us to their shipyard and the Sith's base of operations.

Vrook sighed gradually, exhaling so much so as to centre himself within the Force. He turned to Master Thop, "Emiq, I apologise." Turning to Bastila, he added "This plan of yours, Bastila; I'm afraid we cannot do this. Revan and Malak must be stopped. Once Revan in captured, we will interrogate him and strip him of him ability to use the Force. Understood?"

In the end, all Bastila could say was "Very well, Master Vrook."

"May the Force be with you; may the Force be with us all," Vrook said as he and the other Masters stood. The holograms of Atris and Dorak stood, bowed, and faded. "Bastila, I pray you know what you're doing," said Vrook, and he left.

* * *

><p><em>CRUISER <em>_**INDOMITABLE**__, RAYAMAL ORBIT, JULEVIAN SYSTEM_

The trip from Dantooine to Baratia, the first planet in the remote Juvelian System took only two and a half standard hours. It was from here that Bastila, along with her thirty-five-strong Jedi strike team, would rendezvous with the main Republic task force. The Juvelian System itself was home to a population of approximately 1 billion Humans and aliens. Located on the Perlemian Trade Route, the system was rich in minerals and its people plentiful in Republic Credits. The sixth planet in the system, Dolucar, was a Class-J planet, or gas giant. Of its 12 moons, 3 of them were colonised by the Chandrilans several decades ago.

It was also here at Dolucar that the Republic had set its trap.

The fleet itself had split up and concealed itself behind each of Dolucar's moons on Bastila's order half an hour ago, she having sensed the approach of Revan's fleet through the Force. The raw power of Darth Malak…and the tempered, calculating nature of Darth Revan. Possibly one of the deadliest combinations I've ever come across thought Bastila as she paced obliquely across the bridge of the Indomitable, the flagship of the Republic fleet, toward the young Lieutenant manning the conn. "Lieutenant Hobii, cut our power signature by another 5%."

Hobii glanced over at the Indomitable's commanding officer, Admiral Forn Dodonna. "Ma'am?"

Dodonna clasped her hands behind her back, and gradually moved behind Bastila. "I think we can continue to trust Ms. Shan's tactical mind for the time-being. Do as she says, Lieutenant."

"Aye, Ma'am."

With a flick of her hand, Dodonna gestured Bastila toward the rear of the brid_ge. _"Commander Shan, I understand that the Jedi Order has, on occasion, been given the automatic authority to take command of Republic vessels."

"That is correct, Admiral."

"Then I am _afraid that _although you may be in command of the _Indomitable_, all orders will be referred through me. It is, after all, still my ship."

"Of course, Admiral," Bastila nodded in approval.

"Admiral!" shouted Hobii. "Incoming hostiles! ETA: 30 seconds."

The Admiral triggered a switch on the nearby console. "Admiral Dodonna to the fleet. Prepare to launch Fighter Groups 1 through 17. Capital ships, prepare to encircle the Sith fleet as it drops out of Hyperspace," She turned to Bastila. "If there was ever a time to use that Battle Meditation of yours, it'd better be no_w."_

"I'll be in my fighter," Bastila said as she sprinted off the bridge. Battle Meditation, as the Jedi called it, was an ancient technique requiring the user to concentrate deeply within the Force in an effort to rally the allied forces, concurrently disheartening the opposing forces. The ability itself had been used by many hundreds of Jedi and Sith during the many conflicts the pair had shared in the last 20,000 years. By far the most powerful Jedi accomplished in Battle Meditation was Arca Jeth, who had fought in the Great Hyperspace Wars almost 30 years previously.

"10 seconds!" noted Hobii.

Dodonna took up her stationary position at the bridge's fore, just behind the Lieutenant. "Charge all weapons, raise shields."

The _Indomitable_ had already begun to pitch from port to starboard under Sith disruptor fire before Bastila entered Shuttlebay 3. Her fighter was set down in the far left-hand corner of the bay, next to the personal shuttle of Admiral Dodonna. An explosion behind her made Bastila turn and watch as an engineer was sent careering through the air, only to land head-first onto a T3-series astromech droid. Bastila stretched out with the Force to feel his presence; luckily he was only unconscious, and not seriously hurt.

The Sith flagship_, _the _Leviathan_, loomed through the shuttlebay's forcefield. Adjusting her fighter's systems for launch, Bastila thought if I don't go now, we're going to lose our only chance at catching Revan alive…my apologies, Admiral. She touched the controls once more, and the fighter lifted into the air. A moment later, Bastila sent her fighter flying gradually out of the shuttlebay, and headed toward the Leviathan at full throttle. Disruptor fire from the Sith flagship, and blaster fire from the hordes of Sith Interceptors were drawn away from her as Republic forces continued to engage the enemy. Explosions all around her, and death-screams on her comm_-_system_, _Bastila expertly piloted her fighter closer and closer to the _Leviathan. _She keyed-in a personal comm-sequence as she performed a full-axis rotation to port, allowing her ventral shields to soak up stray blaster fire.

"All Jedi units, this is Commander Shan. Form up behind me then reroute power to your forward shields."

As the strike team formed up behind her, Bastila's fighter took a direct hit to the port shield, almost knocking her off-course. She deftly worked her flight controls, pitching the fighter back to port, firing on a Sith Interceptor as it homed in on her squadron. Unfortunately, the Interceptor belonged to a squadron of its own, and the Jedi were unequivocally involved in a fierce dogfight.

* * *

><p>Colonel Hiyax Meru was not pleased. His squadron was taking heavy fire from the Sith fleet, and the Republic's gunners weren't keeping the enemy fighters off his tail. He jinked to starboard, performed a multi-g upward spin, at the end of which he thumbed his blaster controls to vaporise an incoming Interceptor.<p>

His wingman, a Twi'lek lieutenant who had only just become a mother in the last few months, was clipped by stray blaster fire and flew end-over-end into the shields of a Sith Destroyer. The shields flashed a deadly shade of green as they absorbed the energy and deflected the remains of the fighter back into space. _Too bad_, thought Meru. _I liked that pilot_. He swung his fighter around, and quickly got off a succession of shots before a blinding flash lit up his forward shields for a fraction of a second.

The melee continued. Blaster fire was followed by evasive manoeuvres. Evasive manoeuvres were followed by cries over the ship-to-ship intercom. Cries were followed by explosions. Explosions were followed by static on the intercom. Meru was constantly occupied with providing covering fire for the strike team; allowing even a single Interceptor to fire on them felt almost like Meru had shot at them himself. He wouldn't let them down. He wouldn't let them die. He wouldn't let the Sith take control of the Republic.

* * *

><p>Eighteen Jedi fighters eventually followed Bastila into the <em>Leviathan<em>'s main hanger bay. Republic fighters continued to draw fire away from the Jedi, though a few of Bastila's wing-mates were cut to pieces in the crossfire. The remaining fourteen Jedi increased their speed, slamming through the _Leviathan_'s force field, and skidding to a halt on the hanger deck. Luckily, the _Leviathan_'s fighters were already out fighting in the vacuum of space. Thus, there were no Sith Troopers in the hanger - apparently they believed it wasn't at all likely anyone would think to board the ship from the primary hanger.

Outside the hanger was a different story altogether. Along every corridor, up every turbo lift shaft, around every corner, Sith Trooper after Sith Trooper kept coming and coming, giving no quarter. After several minutes, the Jedi were slowly being pushed back the way they'd come.

Which was when the young Jedi Apprentice to Bastila's right had the uncanny idea to use the Force to bring the heavily-damaged ceiling down upon the advancing Sith troops. Unfortunately, this same Jedi Apprentice lacked the insight to beat a hasty retreat backward - as Bastila did so - and ended up crushing himself in the process. The Force will guide him to where he needs to be thought Bastila somberly.

Deactivating her lightsabre, the Jedi directly behind Bastila said, "Great, now we're trapped. Thanks, Adam, that little stunt of yours just blew our only chance to stop this war."

"Not quite," Bastila cut-in. "Where there's a will, there's a way." And with that, Bastila thrust her golden-hued lightsabre into the right-hand wall, and after a few seconds had passed, had cut a Jedi-sized hole in the centre. "This corridor should lead directly to the bridge. Let's move!"

Several hundred metres of running didn't tire a Jedi. What did, however, was the constant threat of attack by Sith Troopers interspersed at several intervals down the corridor. At the end of the corridor, a small contingent of Troopers were guarding the doorway to the _Leviathan_'s bridge.

The Jedi to Bastila's immediate left, a green-skinned female Twi'lek from Ryloth, a Jedi who had been Knighted only days prior, volunteered to stay behind and distract the guards as Bastila led the other Jedi onto the bridge.

"No. We all go, or not at all."

Bastila started forward, letting the Force propel her toward the Troopers. Three of the other Jedi followed suit, while those remaining dealt with Troopers who were attempting to pin them down by showering grenades down upon them. The resulting explosion sent Bastila, the Jedi, and the Sith Troopers flying in all directions; Bastila and the Jedi flew through the bridge blast doors.

The sight before them was staggering. Darth Revan, Dark Lord of the Sith, was Force-choking his second-in-command, a male Human admiral. A mere moment later, he used the Force to throw the admiral across the bridge, intending to strike Bastila; the Jedi ducked and rolled forward, and through the Force jumped up into the air, somersaulting head over heels until she placed her lightsabre into a classic spearing manoeuvre. Revan easily dodged this, activating his own lightsabre in a blinding flash of crimson.

Bastila rolled as she landed, parrying an attack from Revan, and kicked out - aiming at Revan's black mask. The mask had an eerie feel to it, something that wasn't quite right, and so Bastila ignored it and focused on Revan's technique. It was surprisingly graceful, belying the strength behind every strike. Out of the blue, Revan kneed Bastila in the solar plexus, and Force-pushed her into the transparisteel that made-up the bridge's main viewports. She blew out a painful breath. It seemed to Bastila that Darth Revan was employing Form VII as his preferred lightsabre technique. Form VII was a technique that employed bold, direct movements, more open and kinetic than Form V, but not so elaborate as the acrobatic Form IV. Form VII required greater energy and intensity out of the practitioner because his focus was wielded more broadly and drew upon a deeper well of emotion; while the outward bearing of a Form VII practitioner was one of calm, the inner pressure verged on explosive. It was also considered to be the most dangerous in regard to falling to the Dark Side, as it required a certain amount of enjoyment in the fight from the person experiencing it. Fortunately for Revan, he'd already fallen as far into the Dark as was possible. As of yet, no other Jedi, or Sith, had been known to refine the technique - at least, thought Bastila, not to this level.

Bastila slid to her side, her spinning weapon redirecting Revan's blade away from her throat and harmlessly up over her shoulder. Revan's free hand came in quickly from the other side of her hip, and Bastila threw herself into a back handspring to avoid it, landing nimbly on her feet. Grimly, she realised she'd never understood the true meaning of the term _martial art_ until now.

The Dark Lord assailing her had elevated the act of combat to its purest and highest form. Darth Revan moved with the fluid grace of a dancer, his monstrous blade singing the deadly song of battle. He executed his moves with a perfect elegance born of obsession. Bastila knew it left the Dark Lord vulnerable to other forms of attack (of which there were very few at the present time), but he pressed her so relentlessly that Bastila never had a chance to effectively gather her power.

Revan came at her again, his blade changing direction so quickly in midstroke that it seemed to bend and curve. Bastila repelled the assault with a furious defensive flurry, breathing hard. Bastila's personal style was meant to prolong combat, exhausting her opponents as they tried to penetrate her defences. But each time she clashed with the Dark Lord, she was the one forced to expend desperate, frantic energy. Slowly, Revan was wearing her down.

Suddenly, Revan hurled Bastila backward with the Force, slamming her onto the deck with a bone-jarring thud.

The three other Jedi helped Bastila get up, as Revan Force-choked yet another of his subordinates. Walking forward, Bastila warned, "You cannot win, Revan."

Revan, holding his crimson-hued blade high above his head, was abruptly knocked to the deck as disruptor fire hailed from a nearby warship. The resulting explosion ripped through the _Leviathan_'s shields and hull plating, smacking Bastila and her team to the deck yet again.

The explosion faded, leaving pitch-black smoke clogging the environmental systems in its wake. There was a massive portion of the outer hull missing, but the ship's onboard computer had already activated a force shield around the exposed plating. Bastila roused, and sensing in the Force she knew that her team-mates were already dead from the attack. But she also felt something odd. Crawling carefully toward the Dark Lord, Bastila studied his form closely, reaching out to the Force once again.

Revan was dying.


	2. Chapter 1

7 months later…

CHAPTER ONE

_WARSHIP __**ENDAR SPIRE**__, TARIS ORBIT_

Explosions. Explosions and battle alert sirens blared through the corridors of the Old Republic Hammerhead-class warship _Endar Spire_. Trask Ulgo, an Ensign with the Republic fleet, hastily sprinted toward his quarters, blasters flaring behind him. His new brand-spanking red and yellow armour allowed Trask freedom of movement, adding agility to his gait. Sparks flew out in front of him as the _Endar Spire_ reverberated from a direct attack by the Sith Interceptors; shields were already down to just 30%. Sublight engines were failing, and both hyperdrive generators had systematically failed before Trask had left the Bridge three minutes ago.

The _Endar Spire_ had been forced out of hyperspace by a Sith Interdictor, forcing the Republic ship to enter emergency orbit over the Outer Rim world of Taris. Within the span of thirty seconds, Sith Interceptors had been released by a nearby cruiser and were in the process of disabling the _Endar Spire_'s shields.

Panting, Trask hit the door-release to his quarters. His quarters were sparse, as per protocol, with only two benches, a table, and two bed-bunks. At the present time, only one of those bunks was vacant; the other was occupied by a half-dressed man. He was sat on the edge of the bunk, the ends of his black shoulder-length hair glancing effortlessly off the nape of his neck. His eyes were the colour of the golden sand on Tatooine, and as they glanced up to meet Trask's, almost seemed to lose focus for a split-second. Suddenly, Trask remembered why he'd rushed all the way from the Bridge.

"We've been ambushed by a Sith battle fleet! The _Endar Spire_ is under attack - hurry up, we don't have much time!" Trask barely managed to complete his sentence before the _Endar Spire_reverberated from another Sith assault.

"Who are you?" his bunkmate posed his query as he slowly erected himself from his bunk.

"I'm Trask Ulgo, Ensign in the Republic fleet," he replied. Continuing, he added "I'm your bunkmate here on the _Endar Spire_. We work opposite shifts, I guess that's why we've never seen each other before." _Maybe that also explains why you've made such a huge impression on me right now_, he added silently. "Now hurry up - we have to find Bastila! We have to make sure she makes it off this ship alive."

"Who's Bastila?" Apparently, it was more than just his eyes that had lost focus.

"Bastila's the commanding officer on this ship - well, not an officer really. But she's the one in charge of this mission. One of our primary duties is to guarantee her safety in the event of enemy attack. You swore an oath just like everyone else on this mission, now it's time to make good on that oath!

"I know all about your reputation, how you used to smuggle spice and blasters along the Corellian Run. I guess the Republic figures since they couldn't catch you, they might as well hire you. And I'll admit," Trask walked stiffly toward the viewport, "The Republic is in desperate need of someone with your kind of skills. Desperate enough to overlook your shady past. But now that you've signed on for this mission, you're part of the Republic fleet. And Bastila needs all troops at her side during this attack!" He found himself knocked to the deck by a rogue attack - apparently the Sith had just scorched the hull plating covering the fuel tanks. Trask didn't need anyone to explain to him what would happen if the fuel was ignited before they got off the ship…

"All right, we'll help Bastila!" replied his bunkmate, almost tripping over himself as the Sith Interceptors scored another hit on the ship.

At this point, Trask found himself fermenting with impatience, "So hurry up and grab your gear! You need to suit-up so we can get out of here!"

His only reply was simply "Ok."

Trask's bunkmate grabbed his belongings from their shared storage locker. As he dressed himself, Trask turned his back. When Trask eventually turned back to face him, he was a little underwhelmed by the sight he saw. His bunkmate had donned a simple smuggler's outfit, complete with red nerf-hide jacket, and a standard-issue Republic blaster. "Let's move out." The smuggler had clearly noticed Trask eyeing his jacket in envy, and was obviously not impressed. "We should stick together, we'll have more success as a team."

Clearing his throat, Trask pointed out "Because of the attack, this room is in lockdown. But don't worry, I've got the override codes."

Moving to the door's control panel, Trask keyed in his personal ID code. The door opened with a soft whine, almost as if the attack had damaged the internal systems. The pair were surprised when Trask's personal comm-unit bleeped.

"_This is Carth Onasi. The Sith are threatening to overrun our position! We can't hold out long against their firepower - all hands to the Bridge!"_ Static played on the comm-unit.

Trask's attempts to reply proved fruitless, so his bunkmate suggested they should follow orders and make a run for the Bridge - just as he had the wind knocked out of him by another Sith assault. Picking himself up, he lead the way to another door. But as they closed-in on it, it didn't open to allow them through.

"The door's locked." It pained Trask to admit it. "And I don't have the codes to open it. Damn!"

"Hold on a sec, Trask."

Trask's bunkmate stepped forward, and keyed in his own ID code. It appeared that he had a higher security clearance than he did. _Some smuggler…_

On the other side of the door, however, was a sight that he had not been expecting. Two Sith Troopers were engaged in a firefight with two Republic Troopers. Trask faced his bunkmate with a steely determination, and brought his blaster up level to his chest. His bunkmate followed suit.

"These Sith must be the advanced boarding party. For the Republic!"

Both Sith were surprised by Trask's sudden battle cry - they hadn't been expecting anyone to rout their position from behind. Unfortunately for them, they weren't given much opportunity to respond, as the combined Republic force quickly dispatched them.

Both Republic Troopers stood to attention as Trask and his bunkmate holstered their weapons. "Sir, our position is untenable. Did you get Commander Onasi's transmission?"

"That I did, soldier," said Trask. "Now, come on, follow us!"

"Aye, sir," this was the usual militaristic response.

Before the group arrived at yet another locked door, an explosion blasted through the two Republic Troopers, tearing them to shreds and splaying their bodies open. A fierce shower of sparks followed, and then the corridor's wall was blasted open, leaving the ship open to vacuum. The atmosphere, as well as the two troopers, immediately blown out, reducing the oxygen in the corridor. Trask felt his feet ripped off the deck, and found himself flying toward the breach. Nanoseconds before his expected internal-biological decompression, his bunkmate grabbed onto his hand.

As oxygen raced through the breach into open vacuum, a force field was gradually brought up to create a barrier between atmosphere and space. Ironically, this also meant a rather painful landing for Trask as he dropped face-first to the deck. His bunkmate elegantly lowered himself to the deck, one leg at a time.

Trask heard his bunkmate say under his breath, "Someone on the bridge is doing their job."

His bunkmate helped Trask to his feet; once again he lead the way, and once again he used his ID code to unlock the door. The sight that beheld them as the heavy door opened stopped them dead in their tracks.

A female Jedi was engaged in a lightsabre duel with a male Sith Warrior.

The Sith ducked and rolled to his right, bringing his crimson blade spinning up over his head, intending to cleave through the Jedi's abdomen. She easily parried, somersaulting backward to land on the duracrete wall, then springing off that to slam straight into her opponent.

Trask and his bunkmate simply stood in the doorway, almost star-struck. "This fight is too much for us!" exclaimed Trask. "We'd better stay back. All we'd do is get in the way."

While the Jedi was still soaring through the air, the warrior concentrated, summoned the Force, and sent the Jedi hurtling back away from him. With a flick of her hand, she also summoned command of the Force, sending her lightsabre flying toward the warrior. It passed right through his skull, flying back into the Jedi's open hand. She swiftly deactivated the shimmering blue blade, and strode confidently toward Trask.

"Thank you for staying out of the fight, Ensigns," she said. "Commander Shan is in grave danger, we must get to the Bridge, quickly."

They'd walked barely a couple of meters before yet another high-yield explosion threw the three into the wall, hailing sparks and debris down upon them. Trask picked himself up and looked over to the Jedi. He checked her pulse - she was dead.

"Damn," stated his bunkmate.

Undeterred, the pair continued on through the next few doorways, until they finally entered the Bridge. Trask dispatched the three Sith Troops before saying, "Bastila's not here on the Bridge, they must've retreated to the escape pods. We better head there, too. The Sith want Bastila alive, but once she's off the ship there's nothing stopping the Sith from blasting the _Endar Spire_ into galactic dust!"

With that in mind, the two of them rushed off through the Bridge's only other exit, encountering no more resistance from the Sith. Eventually, they reached a junction in the corridor. Trask motioned for his bunkmate to take cover behind a nearby desk, and he walked over to one of the doors, keying in his ID code. The door opened, only to reveal another Sith Warrior. He activated his lightsabre - its twin crimson blades shimmering like bloodstained lights.

Trask turned to his bunkmate, "Damn! Another dark Jedi! I'll try to hold him off, you get to the escape pods - go!"

Before his bunkmate could argue, the Sith used the Force to propel the door closed. He fought the urge to key his ID into the door controls. Bitterly, he ran, and never looked back.

Trask had never asked for his name.

* * *

><p>"You truly believe that <em>you<em> can stand against _me_? You are bold, I'll grant you that."

The Sith Warrior had held his free hand in the direction of the door, sealing it shut, locking them in. It was then that Trask realised that he had only his blaster to defend himself with. Against a trained Sith and a double-bladed lightsabre, he was clearly no match. The warrior simply laughed, held up his free hand, and a blue blot of deadly Force-lightning arced its way toward Trask in an eternal instant.

Then the agony came.

* * *

><p>He could hear Trask's dying screams from over a hundred metres away as he sprinted through the starboard section of the <em>Endar Spire<em> toward the escape pod bay. He was barely able to hear his comm-unit bleeping away as Trask emitted one last defiant scream of terror and pain. He palmed the comm-unit.

"_This is Carth Onasi on your personal communicator. I'm tracking your position through the _Endar Spire_'s life support system. Bastila's escape pod is away - you're the only surviving crew member of the _Endar Spire_. I can't wait for you much longer, you _have_ to get to the escape pods! But be careful, there's a Sith patrol down the corridor._"

He hesitated. How could he just leave Trask's killer to die in the resulting explosion as Sith Interceptors blasted through the _Endar Spire_'s fuel systems. He could just finish the job himself, with his hands at his throat. His blaster punching a hole through his body, draining him of his life. But he had a lightsabre - he was a Sith. And he clearly had training in the use of the Force. With his hands at his throat, the Sith could simply guide his lightsabre through his body with the Force. Firing his blaster at him, and he could simply deflect the shot right back at him. With even one gesture, he could snap his neck. Clearly, he would be out of his depth. _Dammit man!_ he thought. _Trask sacrificed himself so that I could escape! Get a hold of yourself!_

Once again, he ran. Taking heed of Carth's warning, he slowed his run to a stealth-walk, peering around a corner. There was, indeed, a Sith Trooper patrolling the corridor. He waiting until the trooper was within a hair's breath of the end of his blaster's barrel, and shot him point blank in the side of the head. He watched him drop unceremoniously to the deck before charging forward down the corridor. As he was about to key in her ID code to unlock the next door, Carth contacted his comm-unit again.

"_Be careful. There's a whole squad of Sith Troopers on the other side of that door! You need to find some way to thin their numbers. You could slice into the nearby terminal and use the _Endar Spire_'s security systems against them._"

Searching around his position, he noted a deactivated battle droid. And it was armed. He spoke into his comm-unit, "Or I could simply reactivate this battle droid, and blast them all to Nal Hutta."

"_That could work, I suppose._"

He switched-off the comm, found the droid's activation button, and instructed the droid to kill the Troopers behind the door. It nodded an acknowledgement. He unlocked the door.

Needless to say, the Sith Troopers were taken aback by the sudden blaster fire emitted from the battle droid. They were swiftly shot down so fast that a Jedi Master would have barely had time to say 'may the Force be with you'.

He thanked the droid, and it went on its way as if following a pre-programmed patrol route. He unlocked the next door, and found Carth stood over a computer terminal prepping one of the escape pods for launch. Carth Onasi was dressed in an Telosian orange garment given only to the best in the armed forces; underneath he wore Republic-issue black trousers. When he turned to face whatever had just entered the room, he had his blaster drawn and ready to fire. He quickly holstered his weapon when he realised who he was about to shoot.

"You made it just in time! There's only one active escape pod left. Come on, we can hide out on the planet below."

As Carth began to clamber into the indicated pod, he asked "How do I know I can trust you?"

"I'm a soldier with the Republic fleet, like you," Carth explained. "We're the last two crew members left on the _Endar Spire_. Bastila's escape pod's already gone, so there's no reason for us to stick around here and get shot at by the Sith. Now come on! There'll be time for questions later!"

He still hesitated, but only slightly. As he clambered past him, Carth sealed the escape pod. A blast threw the pod out into the vacuum of space, just as the _Endar Spire_ was torn apart by a combination of Sith disruptor fire and ignition of the warship's fuel tanks. They stared in stunned awe as a small vessel departed from the _Endar Spire_'s Shuttlebay. Apparently, Trask's killer wasn't ready to get blown up either.

The ride down to Taris' surface was rough at best. At worst, it was as if they had a drunken Wookiee piloting the pod. Regardless, Carth's piloting skills were still better than his own, and with that thought in mind, he consigned herself to watching Taris' sprawling metropolis looming larger through the viewport at an ever-increasing speed. Within moments, they'd slammed through the highest layers of the planet's atmosphere, and were on-course for a collision with the capital city. The spires grew and grew as Carth desperately attempted to veer their course away from the built-up area, but resistance was apparently futile.

"What's your name?" Carth asked.

"Aaryn Savo.."

"Well, Aaryn, this might hurt - hold on!"

The last thing Aaryn recalled before he was knocked unconscious was the pod punching through a skyscraper, and smacking his head against the communications console.

* * *

><p><em>UPPER CITY, TARIS<em>

Aaryn woke with a start. He blinked, then looked around vaguely at his surroundings. A blurry figure was standing over him, dabbing at his forehead with a damp cloth. After a couple of moments, the blur reformed itself into the shape of Carth Onasi. At least they'd both survived the descent.

He righted herself, catching a hold of the cloth as Carth held it in place. Aaryn smiled as he focused on Carth's eyes. He had stubble that had obviously been built up over several days, and his lips were lightly chapped from slight dehydration.

"Good to see you awake, instead of thrashing around in your sleep," he said to him quietly. "You must have been having one hell of a nightmare. I was wondering if you were ever going to wake up. I'm Carth Onasi, one of the Republic soldiers from the _Endar Spire_. I was with you on the escape pod. Do you remember?"

Clarity began to enter Aaryn's mind. "Carth - the one on the communicator. I remember."

Carth placed a comforting hand on him shoulder. "Well, you've been slipping in and out of consciousness for a couple of days now, so I imagine you're pretty confused about things. Try not to worry. We're safe … at least for moment."

Taking all this in, Aaryn took a moment to check out his surroundings. There were the usual four walls, door and windows. An air conditioner was online. "You don't have to thank me," Carth explained. "I've never abandoned anyone on a mission, and I'm not about to start now. Besides, I'm going to be needing your help.

"Taris is under Sith control. Their fleet is orbiting the planet, they've declared martial law, and they've imposed a planet-wide quarantine." Carth winked at him. "But I've been in worse spots before. I saw on your service record that you understand a remarkable number of alien languages. That's pretty rare in a raw recruit, but it should come in handy while we're stranded here on a foreign world. There's no way the Republic will be able to get anyone through the Sith blockade to help us. If we're going to find Bastila, and get off this planet, we can't rely on anyone but ourselves."

Aaryn found himself struggling to remember. Bastila…was she the Jedi Trask was speaking about? "Bastila? She's the one from the Endar Spire, right?"

Carth snorted. "That smack to your head did more damage than I thought. Bastila's a Jedi. she was with the strike team that killed Darth Revan, Malak's Sith master. Bastila is the key to the whole Republic war effort." Carth strode ponderously to stare out of the nearest window. "The Sith must have found out she was on the Endar Spire and set an ambush for us in this system. I believe Bastila was on one of the escape pods that crashed down here on Taris. For the sake of the Republic war effort_, we have t_o try and save her."

Shaking his head, Aaryn pointed out "If Bastila's a Jedi, she can probably look after herself."

"Bastila's going to need our help." Apparently, Carth disagreed, turning to face Aaryn with a serious look in his eyes. "Many of Darth Malak's followers have mastered the Dark Side of the Force, and the Sith have alread_y killed mo_re than their share of Jedi in this war. I doubt anyone's specifically watching this apartment or looking for us anymore - we're not important. But if we're careful we can move about the planet without attracting notice, a luxury Bastila won't have. She's going to have half the Sith fleet looking for her. The know how vital she is to the war effort.

"Bastila is no ordinary Jedi. She has a rare gift the Jedi call Battle Meditation - Bastila's power can influence whole armies."

Aaryn gave Carth an incredulous look. "If Bastila's so great, how come the Sith managed to blow up the Endar Spire?"

Still, Carth persisted to make his partner see reason. "Through the Force, Bastila can inspire her allies with confidence, and make her enemies loss their will to fight. And often that's all it takes to tip the balance in a battle. But there are limits to what she can do. From what I understand, it requires a great deal of concentration and focus to maintain her Battle Meditation. The attack on the Endar Spire happened so fast she probably never even had a chance to use her power. I'm guessing she bare_ly got out _alive, and now she's trapped here just as we are. The whole planet is under quarantine. No ships can land or take-off. So if Bastila's going to escape Taris, she's going to need our help. And we'll probably need hers."

Sighing, Aaryn shrugged his shoulders, "If it means getting off this planet, I guess I can help you find Bastila."

"Good. We need to work together if we're going to survive," Carth motioned toward the doors. "While you were unconscious, I did some scouting around. There are reports of a couple of escape pods crashing down into the Undercity - that's probably where we should start looking. But the Undercity is a dangerous place. We don't want to go in there unprepared; it won't do Bastila any good if we go and get ourselves killed."

"The sooner we start looking for Bastila," Aaryn smiled lightly at Carth. "The sooner we find her. Let's go!"

Carth nodded his approval. "Good idea. We can use this abandoned apartment as a base, and we can probably get some equipment and supplies here in the Upper City. Just remember to keep a low profile. I've heard some grim stories about the Dark Jedi interrogation techniques. They say the Force can do terrible things to a mind; it can wipe away your memories and destroy your very identity! But I figure if we don't do anything stupid, we should be ok. I mean, after all, they're … they're looking for Bastila, not a couple of grunts like us. Alright soldier, let's move out!"

The pair made for the door. Before Aaryn could even step one foot into the corridor, Carth pushed him back against the wall. Peering round, he soon learned why.

Two Duros were being harassed by a Sith soldier and his pair of bodyguards, both of them war droids. Droids had been used as personal bodyguards for thousands of years, and as protocol droids before that, long before anyone thought to use them as combat models. The Sith Lieutenant aimed a blaster at the nearest Duro.

"Ok, you alien scum," the lieutenant all but spat the words. "Everybody get up against the wall; this is a raid!"

The farthest Duro barely managed a response. "There was a patrol here just yesterday, and they found nothing! Why do you Sith keep bothering us?"

"Scum!" The lieutenant stared daggers at the offending alien, and shot him in the chest, exactly where the Human heart would've been. The Duro went down with a thump. "That's how we Sith deal with smart-mouth aliens!" He held the business end of his weapon toward the remaining Duro's forehead, "Now you, get up against the wall before I lose my temper again."

While the lieutenant turned to watch the remaining Duro walk to the right-hand wall, the war droids began to spread out, placing themselves ten metres apart at opposite ends of the corridor. The droid closest to Carth and Aaryn stood only an hair's breadth from the pair of Republic soldiers.

Leaning close so as not to alert the droid, Carth whispered into Aaryn's ear. "Distract that droid if you can, then we'll -"

"Blast them to molten slag?"

"Essentially."

"Explain to me precisely how I'm meant to do that if I have no blaster."

Carth unholstered a blaster from his left side. "This is my back-up. Try not to lose it. Oh, _stang_!"

Aaryn spun round to face the business end of a blaster.

"Hey! What's this?" came from the lieutenant. It was obvious to Carth that the Sith soldier had already made up his mind about the sentence, and was going straight in for the execution. "Humans hiding out with aliens? They're Republic fugitives - attack!"

* * *

><p><em>UNDER CITY, TARIS<em>

Pain. There was nothing worse than pain. Not at the moment anyway. She was…where was she? A cage? No, it felt to her as if she were floating. But in what? Her skin didn't feel wet, so the chances of her being in a refreshing vat of bacta were slim. Besides, she had worse problems.

She didn't even know her own name.

She tried, and failed, to open her eyes.

Then it came rushing back to her. Her upbringing on Talravin. Her mother and father allowing her to go to with the Jedi to be trained. The fierce duel with Darth Revan on the _Leviathan_. The _Endar Spire_.

_Bastila. My name is Bastila_.

She began to use the Force, building it up and up, until that inescapable moment when the pressure was so great it had to be released. Bastila released it with all her might.

Nothing happened - nothing that she expected, at any rate. What she received for her escape attempt was a severe electrical shock to her entire body. Dazed, Bastila entered unconsciousness.

* * *

><p><em>Interesting. My people actually looted something of value for once<em>.

Brejik stood facing the Jedi woman. She was slumped, quite unceremoniously, on an examination table. Unusually pensive, he pondered the possibilities of braking her mind; of making her fight for his group, the Black Vulkars. Maybe he'd sell her. Maybe he'd kill her. Maybe he'd simply use her for more intimate means.

He turned to his protégé. Kandon Ark was a green-skinned male Twi'lek, who constantly polished his gleaming Mandolorian armour whenever he had the chance. Aside from himself, Kandon was the only other member of the Black Vulkars whom Brejik trusted, but only up to a point. After all, Brejik had betrayed his own leader, Gadon Thek, so there was no reason for Kandon not to get the same idea about _him_.

"How long has she spent in that cage?"

"About fifty standard hours. What do you want out of her anyway?"

Brejik turned and headed for the door. "Everything. Eventually, of course, she'll be sold to the highest bidder. But I want her to be prepared for the future. Keep her restrained. I'll be back in an hour to personally see to it that she knows _exactly_ what to expect in her new life."


	3. Chapter 2

CHAPTER TWO

_UPPER CITY, TARIS_

Smoke lashed from the smoldering holes in the metallic chests of the war droids. A blaster bolt flew over Carth's head and hit the wall paneling behind him. Aaryn rolled and landed nimbly behind a plasteel crate, then followed up with several shots to the Sith lieutenant's torso. He was brought down in a hail of bolts, hitting the floor with a slight thud.

The surviving Duro peeked out from behind a second crate, then stood - with his hands over his head. He then proceeded to lower them to a more comfortable level as he saw Carth and Aaryn holstering their weapons.

"Poor Ixgil," he started. "He should never have talked back to that Sith. Thankfully, you were here to step in and help us, Humans. This isn't the first time the Sith have come in here to cause trouble for us, but hopefully it will be the last."

Aaryn shook the Duro's hand. "I'm just glad we could help."

"Don't worry about the body and the debris. I will move them so it looks like they were attacked elsewhere. That should throw the Sith off the track. With any luck, they won't be bothering us again for a while."

Aaryn and Carth bid good luck and farewell to the Duro, then continued to walk out of the apartment complex and into the Upper City streets. Aaryn turned to Carth.

"Yes? What's on your mind?" he responded after a moment.

"I'd like to know more about you, Carth."

"Me? Well, I've been a star-pilot for the Republic for years. I've seen more than my fair share of wars … I fought in the Mandalorian Wars before all this started. But with all that, I've never experienced anything like the slaughter these Sith animals can unleash - not even the Mandalorians were that senseless." Carth turned slightly paler. "My homeworld was one of the first planets to fall to Revan's fleet. The Sith bombarded it into submission, and there wasn't a kriffing thing our Republic forces could do to stop them!"

Aaryn felt true compassion for Carth. "I'm sorry, Carth. This must be very painful for you."

Carth's reply came just a fraction of a second too soon for Aaryn's liking. "I know. Don't worry about it. I just..." He sighed. "I just must not be making much sense; you probably mean well with your questions. I'm just not accustomed to talking about my past very much - at all, actually. I'm more used to taking action; keeping my mind focused on the task at hand. So let's just do that. If you have more questions, feel free to ask them later."

Another half hour of walking followed. On Carth's decision, they made a stop in a local tapcaf, sampling the Tarisian ale as they did so (Aaryn found it prolifically enticing), then moved on as soon as their feet no longer felt sore. Immediately to the left-hand side, they found themselves drawn to a local junk and droid exchange shop, and decided to step in.

The proprietor, incidentally, noticed them almost immediately.

"Hello there! I haven't seen you in my shop before... allow me to introduce myself. My name is Kebla Yurt. Welcome to my Equipment Emporium. You looking to buy some supplies?" She noticed the look on Carth's face, so decided to push on. "My shop's the largest one in all of Upper Taris. Best selection on the planet. Whatever you need, I've got." Her cheeks flushed momentarily. "Mostly," she added.

Carth chimed in. "Mostly? What do you mean by that?"

Kebla seemed almost over-embarrassed by the question. "Errr... the Sith confiscated all my heavy weapons. And they impounded all my ships and swoop bikes. But I've still got a real nice selection, if you're interested?"

Intuitively, Aaryn believed a different tac was needed. "May we ask you some questions, Ms. Yurt?"

Kebla smiled broadly. "Anything I can do for a potential customer! What do you want to know?"

"Do you know anything about those escape pods that crashed here on Taris?"

Kebla scratched her chin as she offered seats to Aaryn and Carth, and taking one of her own. "Hmm. I heard a couple of pods crashed down into the Undercity. i bet the crashsites have already been stripped of anything by the Sith, though - unless the swoop gangs or Davik's men got there first."

Aaryn grew concerned about the mention of swoop gangs. Had Bastila had been kidnapped by one of them? "Swoop gangs? What can you tell me about them?"

"I don't have anything to say that's good about the swoop gangs: zooming around like a bunch of animals, terrorising the Lower City on their swoop bikes! Things weren't so bad when the Hidden Beks were running the show, but ever since the Black Vulkar gang the Lower City has been nothing short of a war zone! The Sith haven't bothered trying to maintain order down there, and I heard a rumour that Davik's own people are having problems with the Black Vulkars now."

Growing fidgety, Aaryn asked "What do you know about Davik?"

"Oh, Davik's a legitimate businessman, if you know what I mean," began Kebla. "Smuggling, extortion, and so on. They say he's a member of the Exchange; you know, the big intergalactic crime organisation."

Carth let out a long-held sigh. "I've heard of the Exchange. Bad organisation to cross. If anyone has blockade-breaking ships, it's them."

Kebla continued. "I have to pay him a protection fee every month, but it's reasonable. And I get most of my inventory through Davik and his suppliers. I'm just smart enough not to ask where it came from, you understand?"

Aaryn rose abruptly from his seat. "Davik's nothing but a petty crime lord!"

Kebla pulled him back down to his seat, and spoke in a hushed tone. "Careful where you say that! Davik's got spies and agents everywhere. Besides, he's as much a part of Taris as the skyscrapers or the swoop gangs."

"I realise we may be taking up some of your time, Ms. Yurt," said Carth. "But we need some general information on Taris."

"Ohh, you're a couple of off-worlders, aren't you? Come to Taris for a short business trip and end up stuck here because of the Sith quarantine, right? Oh, you can't be too happy, trapped on an unfamiliar world and all. But Taris isn't so bad, so long as you stay in the Upper City. Just try to avoid the Sith. And stay out of the Lower City; the swoop gangs are totally out of control. Even Davik's men are getting trouble down there."

Aaryn and Carth rose to and they each shook Kebla's hand. "Well, if that's all," said Aaryn. "I think we'll be going now."

"Good day to you then! Remember to come on back to my shop if you ever need supplies." Kebla waved to them, and they were gone.

Aaryn followed Carth's lead, and turned right out of the shop, heading toward a local cantina.

* * *

><p>Bastila screamed in horror as she was tortured once again by Brejik's henchmen. Nothing seemed to ease her pain; even her Jedi training had proven futile in the end. All that mattered now was survival. And she was determined to see that she got it.<p>

A final jolt of electricity ran through the length of the body, and Bastila fell into silent unconsciousness.


	4. Chapter 3

_THREE_

_STAR DESTROYER _**LEVIATHAN**_, 6 MONTHS AGO_

Darth Malak, newly christened Dark Lord of the Sith, paced the perimeter of his personal quarters. Something was wrong. Something out of place. As if the Force itself were trying to communicate to him. One of the only Jedi techniques he had ever truly valued was that which allowed its user to tune in with his or her intuition; to become one with the currents of the Force, allowing oneself to become swept up and taken away - but to a point. It was best compared to search and rescue on choppy waters when explaining to non-Force users.

Malak sat cross-legged in his meditation chamber, and stretched out into the Force. The war effort would last at least another year, that much he was certain of. He knew that the Republic would fall to his knees, begging for true leadership, true power. He would give that to the citizens of his Empire. That was what the Force had told him, and thus he had deceived and killed his old Master, Revan.

Revan had been everything to Malak; confidant, friend - even lover many years ago. They'd spent almost every minute of every day together, plotting to turn against the Jedi and the Republic. And then the war began.

The Mandalorian Wars had been the most destructive conflict the galaxy had known for thousands of years, often the bloodiest. As such, families were torn asunder. Whole worlds annihilated. Species eradicated. Millions of Republic troops were sent out to the Outer Rim worlds in order to fend off the approaching Mandalorian armada. It was no use, however; Mandalorian shields were far stronger that the Republic's', and so entire fleets were disintergrated in front of the eyes of every Republic Admiral. Dantooine had threatened to secede, allowing hundreds of like-minded senators to follow suit. The Republic began to crumble.

And yet the Jedi were doing nothing.

Whole fleets were routed, and the Jedi Order sat back in their halls debating the origins of the Mandalorian aggression. Many Apprentices had voiced their concerns, and still the Coucil did nothing. Revan, however, could not be placated so easily, and so he, Malak, and several Jedi marched straight out of the Enclave on Dantooine and straight on to the flagship of the Republic fleet, the _Hammer_. Needless to say, the Jedi Council, in particular Master Atris, was not happy. Vrook, ever the tome of obviousness, had given Malak and Revan an ultimatum: return to Coruscant to face the Council, or be renounced by the Order. The stakes were too high either way; in the end, they'd chosen their convictions and duty over their Masters' needs. The Order cut all communications with them.

For a few days, they'd believed that they were on their own. It wasn't until the First Battle of Omonoth that the Republic's Rear Admiral Saul Karath began to realise what a resource the Jedi could be; even though all sides were forced to evacuate the _Arkanian Legacy_ at the last minute, Karath gradually brought the Jedi, in particular Revan, into his mission briefings. Before long, Jedi General Revan, Jedi Commander Malak, and Jedi Commander Min Xhosa were representing the Republic in many of the major campaigns of the war. Revan was promoted to Admiral, Malak to General, but a setback in the Charros System brought news that Xhosa was killed in action, so Revan chose another, a Jedi Knight named Meetra Surik, to promote to the rank of General, giving her almost as much leeway as Malak himself. There were certainly times when he had believed Surik was plotting against him, but victory after victory under her command raised the morale of the troops on the front lines, and so Malak grew to grudgingly respect her skills. It wasn't until a few months later that everything would change.

The Battle of Malachor V was the singlemost vicious and bloodthirsty campaign in the history of the Repbulic. Revan had lured the multitude of the Mandalorian fleet to an agricultural world in the Malachor System in the Outer Rim. The system itself was taboo among Mandalorian culture, though it later appeared that this did not phase the Taung _Mando'ade_, Mandalore the Ultimate, who was struck down by Revan himself in single combat. Revan took the Mandalore's mask, and the Republic fleet began to rout the Mandalorians. Unbeknownst to almost everyone, Revan ordered his prized General to activate a single weapon, the mass shadow generator. What came next was horrifying - even for Malak.

The generator was set up in the planetary core of Malachor V, above which the two enemy armadas were fighting. After its activation, the generator artificially increased the mass (and therefore the gravity well) of the planet and in return the great warships of both fleets were drawn into a descending arc of burning flames. What was once a pastoral world, was now a rotting, roiling ball of metal, planetary debris, and blood. The remainder of the Mandalorian fleet transmitted an unconditional surrender. Revan, however, wasn't buying it. He and Malak took the Republic fleet and pursued the Mandalorians into the heart of the Unknown Regions, giving the people of the Republic, and the Jedi Order, the idea that they were lost forever; missing in action. A year later, they were all proved wrong.

There was something connected to those events that the Force was now showing him, Malak believed. It couldn't possibly be Revan; Malak himself had felt his Master's Force presence diminish as he had fired upon the _Leviathan_, which he had later taken as his own flagship. Though, to be honest, his best men had scoured the ship from stem to stern and had found no trace of Revan's body. It could have been the Jedi commander he had heard rumours of, in command of the strike team that boarded before and left the _Leviathan_ after its disabling. Malak immersed himself further still into the Force.

He found himself in the apartment complex of the Jedi Temple on Coruscant. He looked at the door: Apartment 2-228-Kappa. He walked forward, and it opened. Inside, a young, 20-something woman was undressing after a rigourous bout of combat training - he could tell simply from the amount of bruising on her back and shoulders. Her long, brunette hair flowed easily down the nape of the back, then she looked around.

She couldn't see him of course, that much Malak was certain. But he was fairly sure that she, whoever she was, could _see_ him through the Force. Her eyes widened in utter shock as she realised who he was, and, keeping her gaze at Malak's eye-level, she pressed the intercom.

* * *

><p>Bastila had never known such surprise; in all her life as a disciple of the Force, no one - no one - had been able to freely mentally enter her quarters. She knew instinctively who the intruder was just from his mere presence in the Force; Darth Malak, newly-crowned Dark Lord of the Sith. Thinking that he wouldn't be able to physically stop her, Bastila reached for the intercom to her left. She had barely activated the channel to Master Vrook before a massive surge of Force energy slammed her into the ceiling and pinned her there.<p>

_You're the commander of the Jedi strike team sent to kill my old master, aren't you?_

"What?" she replied. Was that Malak asking her, or Vrook? She coudn't tell, for her mind was racing faster than any swoop race on Malastare.

_"Bastila, this is Master Quatra. Are you ok?"_ That came from the intercom, Bastila was sure of it.

She inhaled to answer, but Malak's presence pushed against her throat, choking off her reply.

_Bastila, is it? Well, Bastila, you and I are going to start seeing more of each other in the future. I sincerely hope that you will accomodate my needs, for I have need of you. And your Force capabilities - in particular, that Battle Meditation which you prize above all else._ Running footsteps could be heard coming toward them from down the corridor. _I _will_ have you, Bastila. That much is certain._

Malak's Force presence vanished, dropping Bastila to the floor with a painful bump just as Jedi Master Quatra entered. The Mon Calamarian looked somewhat bepuddled, but then again, Bastila had never truly learned to read Mon Cals' faces as easily as those of other species. The Jedi Master peered around the room, attempting to discern any residual Force presence.

* * *

><p>Malak slumped onto the floor of the deck. This session had tired him more than those previous. This Jedi, this Bastila, was strong-willed and determined, that much he could sense. But below that, on a more intuitive plane of existence, Malak knew that the Force had lead him to her. Bastila was the disturbance he had sensed. He had already found an apprentice. Except Bandon was practically useless with Battle Meditation.<p>

Bastila wasn't.


	5. Chapter 4

_FOUR_

_JEDI ENCLAVE, DANTOOINE, PRESENT DAY_

A deep red sunset had broken out over the fields surrounding the Jedi Enclave, and the breeze softly ruffled her brown Jedi robes. Apprentice Yu'la Juhani, a Cathar and the only member of her species currently represented within the Order, struggled to keep her anger reigned in as her master, the Mon Calamarian Jedi Quatra, pushed her to her physical and mental limits. Juhani's fur was smatted with sweat, forming in clumps under her robes. As it rolled under her fur and down her epidermis, it found its way onto her face and threatened to sting her tired golden-yellow eyes. Quatra had had her standing on her hands for the past six and a quarter hours, and in Juhani's honest opinion it was getting a little aggravating.

"Keep the Force flowing through you, Juhani," came Quatra's continuing guidance. "Only then can you keep the pain and exhaustion from overwhelming you."

Quatra's typically Mon Cal voice had always grated on Juhani, but she never before let it get to her like this. "I will do my best, Master Quatra."

Quatra simply nodded approvingly, and continued to meditate in silence nearby.

Another three hours passed. Quatra had casually left long ago and headed back to the Enclave, leaving Juhani to her excrutiating training. This was a joke, surely. Mon Calamari had been infamous for their tactically ruthless streaks, but this was going beyond anything Juhani had ever heard of.

Yet another hour passed, and still her master had not returned. Juhani tried reaching out to her through the Force, but the Master/Apprentice link was...it was gone! Juhani fell to the ground in utter shock, landing in a ruffled heap. Arms aching, head and feet pounding from blood rush, Juhani lay on the ground breathing heavily. Suddenly, she felt a huge crash on the ground, followed by the sound of several tonnes of boulder falling out of the sky. Juhani had slightly forgot about that part of the exercise.

* * *

><p>Quatra watched her Padawan from high above on cliff-top. Juhani's anger was getting the better of her, but Quatra was not yet prepared to intervene. Though Juhani was young, she still lacked the experience and patience inherent to those of the Order, and the Jedi Master had hoped to teach those qualities to her apprentice.<p>

Juhani's fatal flaw had always been her temper, though Quatra. Ever since Quatra had selected the young Cathar for training at the age of thirteen, Juhani emotions had repeatedly been brought to the surface, and so Quatra had had to create more unorthodox methods of training than the Council usually permitted. But this test, _this test_ was only the beginning of a much larger method that Quatra had created specifically for her young apprentice. Quatra knew that she'd have to intervene at some point toward the end of the training, no matter what happened, but for now she was content to just watch and wait, all the while stripping the Master/Apprentice Force-bond that existed between the two of them.

Suddenly, Juhani fell to the ground, quickly followed by the boulders that she had been levitating. _And so it continues, young one_.

* * *

><p>After a few long minutes of heavy breathing, Juhani steadily rose to her feet. It was now mid-afternoon, and Dina, Dantooine's primary star, though still high in the sky, was in the throes of beginning to set below the horizon. Where Juhani's fur was matted with sweat, grass and dirt had clumped to it in patches. Nearby, she spotted a shallow stream; Juhani stripped off her undergarments, and stepped into the cool water. She sat down, careful to keep her modesty below the waterline in case anyone managed to sneak up on her. Cathar usually did their upmost to avoid water of any kind, but Quatra had trained that fear out of Juhani months ago.<p>

They'd been sent to Quatra's homeworld of Dac by the Jedi Council in order to broker a deal with the local Mandalorian mercenaries; unlike the tens of thousands of other _Mando'ade_ fighting on the front lines during the Wars, these mercenaries were nothing more than common thieves and bigots to their own species, often ignoring any outsiders' attempt at communication - but most especially ignoring Mandalorian communiqué. The Mon Cal senator Cressa, who was insidentally elected Supreme Chancellor not long after, had been feeding black market information directly to the Jedi Council for several years. Naturally, the Council had acted on the information as best they could, usually sending a master and apprentice or a pair of knights to deal with the source of the information. In this particular case, Quatra and Juhani first went undercover in order to lure out a local informant, and gain an audience with the mercenaries. Needless to say, it all stopped going well once they knew Quatra and Juhani's identities.

In the end, it just so happened that Juhani and her master were backed onto the edge of a pier, with nowhere to escape. Except down, in the ocean. Quatra used the Force to rip up the wooden planks on the floor of the pier to disguise their flight, and they dived. Initially, Juhani was terrified - water was to be drunk, not swam, or so her mother had always said at any rate; whereas her father would no doubt have said alcohol was to be drunk _and_ swam in. Preferabally at the same time.

In the midst of Juhani's panic, Quatra once again used the Force, this time to calm Juhani's mind and to arrest her physical fits of hysterical fear. Juhani had opened her eyes, saw that Quatra had popped her rebreather into her mouth, so she followed suit. Several times, her master had disappeared, leaving Juhani to find her through the Force. At one time, she'd even stumbled upon the lair of an ancient Arctic Skra'akan, and it took all of Juhani's training to escape the great beast. Later when she'd surfaced at Reef Home City, the local historians had told her, in no uncertain terms, that the great beast Juhani had earlier faced was only a myth to scare naughty children. Needless to say, Juhani was not impressed, ut to avoid a diplomatic incident she'd kept her silence.

And so here she was, lying up to her chin in a stream, letting the natural flow of water wash away the mixture of sweat and dirt. Regardless, it did nothing to soothe Juhani's ever-raging temper. Quatra and the Jedi had almost gotten her killed on the Dac mission. If her master had not left her, there would have been a far lower chance of being digested by the skra'akan. And suddenly, Juhani's Jedi training left her, leaving her anger to take over.

"Juhani."

Juhani turned her head, and saw Quatra standing less than twenty metres away. It immediately came to her that her master hadn't actually returned to the enclave, but instead had stayed in the distance watching. Seething, she leaped out of the stream and used the Force to bring her lightsabre to her hand, and there it remained inactive. "Master," she said, acknowledging Quatra.

Quatra remained firmly in place. "I see you've given up on your training session, young one. For what reason?"

"I don't answer to you, Jedi," Juhani replied vehemently. She then pulled the Force toward her and pushed it back out in a wave, sending rocks flying and spraying the stream into the air. When the Force-wave hit her master, however, the Mon Calamari Jedi remained rooted to the spot. Juhani had expected that.

Quatra had also been expecting it.

The Mon Cal silently flipped into the air, landing behind Juhani. She was also closer; not three metres from the Cathar, well within striking distance. She then used the Force to pull Juhani toward her, her hand on the hilt of her own lightsabre. Juhani had barely ignited her own blade to block Quatra's green sabre. The clash sounded intense to Juhani's sensitive feline ears. She began to parry and strike, parry and strike, but Quatra's swordsmanship far eclipsed her own. Juhani made a Force-assisted leap backward, following it up with a frantic burst of anger so strong it almost overwhelmed her; her free hand became hot, and forks of brilliant blue lightning erupted from her fingertips. She aimed the dark power at her master, and the lightning lanced out. Quatra, though, was no fool, and easily intercepted the Force energy with her lightsabre.

Juhani reversed the grip on her lightsabre as Quatra ran full pelt at her, a classic _Ataru_ move. It was so classic, in fact, that Juhani was ready for it. She rolled to the left, intending to sweep her blade through her master's shins, but Quatra easily dodged it, sending her own blade crashing down toward Juhani's exposed head as she shot past. Again Juhani rolled, this time to the right, and somersaulted high into Dantooine's air, coming to land a dozen metres from her quarry.

Quatra deactivated her lightsabre. "You're physical skills with the Force are truly commendable, Juhani. And your skill with a blade is refined...but sloppy. Did you truly believe that you could best your own master in combat, young one?"

Juhani growled at the question, lashed out with more Force lightning, and used the Force to propel herself forward - intending to spear her blade through Quatra's body. But Quatra deflected the brute-force attack, and with a nudge of the Force sent Juhani flying out of control to the ground.

"When did you learn _Juyo_, Juhani?" asked Quatra. "I don't believe I have ever taught it to you during our sessions."

"You'll find I'm full of surprises, Master," Juhani replied, emphasising "Master" with all the bile her voice could muster. The Cathar Jedi then sprung at Quatra, attempting to drive her off balance, but Quatra easily regained control, and hit Juhani in the arm with the hilt of her weapon. Juhani retaliated, the ferocity flashing through her eyes and the blue blade of her lightsabre, so much so that she appeared to gain an advantage. Quatra swerved her blade up in a feint, the beginning of her endgame, and so Juhani lunged and unpredictably leapt into the air, slashing at her master's weapon arm. The blade sliced neatly through Quatra's Jedi robes, and took off her arm at the shoulder. As Juhani landed nimbly, her master fell to the ground. She attempted to feel for Quatra's presense in the Force, except her emotions were clouding her senses. Instead, leaving Quatra for dead, Juhani ran. Her eyes wept as she ran, and she never looked back.


	6. Chapter 5

_FIVE_

_UPPER CITY, TARIS_

Aaryn and Carth had entered the _Tumbling Dice_,the local cantina. At the door, they'd encountered a Sith guard. _Probably just the bouncer trying to scare away potential trouble_, thought Carth. Carth had seen a lot in his time with the Republic Navy, so it really wouldn't surprise him in the least. Fortunately, he was happily surprised to find that the cantina itself was clean - as far as cantinas went, at least. A couple of green-skinned female Rutian Twi'leks sat at a pazaak table, eagerly grabbing their winnings from the hands of their opponent, a burly-faced woman of a species Carth did not recognise. The woman, over-sized ear lobes and tan-orange skin reinforcing Carth's inability to recall her species, was congratulating her opponents.

"It seems you two are a force to be reckoned with," she said.

"Of course we are," began the first Twi'lek.

"What can we say?" continued the other. "You must have inherited your mother's pazaak skills."

As the Twi'leks laughed to themselves, the woman leaned forward menacingly. " 'Never make fun of a Ferengi's mother' - Rule of Acquisition number thirty-one."

"Oh please, Oshta! You Ferengi are too hard on yourselves; isn't that why those Mandalorians conquered your homeworld - to bring you some civility? After all, you wouldn't even allow your women to wear clothes until the Republic rose to power!"

At that, the Twi'lek pairing upped and left, leaving the Ferengi woman to stew in her own anger.

Peering toward the bar, Carth noted the Tarisian bartender handing drinks to a triplet of small, furry Chadra-Fan. Carth had met members of their species, having served with many in the Navy during the Wars. Though most of the time, he'd tended to run into them in the corridors rather embarrassingly, tripping over their small metre-high forms. During the Mandalorian Wars, their homeworld, Chad, was besieged by the _Mando'ade_ invaders. Its inhabitants were forced into domestic slavery for years before the Republic Navy, led by Revan himself, finally liberated the oceanic world. Since then, the Chadra-Fan, as a whole, had kept quiet on the galactic scene, but some indivuals had taken the time to head off-world, making their way to several other Outer Rim worlds, such as Tatooine, Cardassia Prime, and Dantooine. Obviously this individual had wished to head further into the interior of the galaxy, so had taken-up home on Telos. Carth never judged people as a general rule of thumb, but he couldn't help himself from wondering if this was really the best planet to live on, especially now, what with the Sith in control.

Aaryn had found a quiet table away from the bar, obviously intending to keep the less-discernable folk from interracting with them. He looked at the electronic beverage menu set into the table. "What do you want, an abrax?"

Carth batted him a dirty look. "Well, ok, while technically we're still on duty," said Aaryn. "We have no commanding officer in-system. We can drink all we like, Celestials know I need it." Aaryn continued to peruse the menu, until he'd apparently decided upon some ancient alcoholic beverage called tequila, while Carth agreed to a pint of Kashyyykan bitter berry beer. Five minutes later, the server droid, a GE3-series protocol droid answering by the designation 9C-1Q, set their order down on the table, and swiftly left after receiving Carth's payment.

Carth was surprised to see Ensign Savo down her shot of tequila within a second. Maybe Carth had finally found a drinking buddy who could actually keep up with him...

"Want another?" asked Aaryn. "Oh, no, sorry; I kinda forgot that I guys your age can't keep up with me."

"What's that supposed to mean, _Ensign_?" Carth asked, placing heavy emphasis on Aaryn's rank.

Aaryn was about to snap a witty retort when a young woman, clearly inebriated, stumbled into the table and spilling Carth's drink on his chest as he was taking a sip. The woman stood, and faltered once more eventually taking ahold of the back of Aaryn's chair to straighten herself. "Hi there," she said. "I haven't seen you around before. Of course, they don't give us Sith officers from the military much time off."

Aaryn looked somewhat taken aback. "You're from the military base? You don't look like one of the Sith."

The Sith officer, or so she claimed, bent down over Carth suggestively. "I'm off duty right now, so I'm not in my uniform. My name is Sarna - junior officer first class with the Sith occupation force."

"Nice to meet you, Sarna," said Aaryn. "I'm Aaryn, and this is Carth."

Sarna turned her face to Aaryn. "I'm actually a little surprised you're talking to me at all," she said, before turning her gaze back to Carth. "Most of the people here on Taris can't stand us Sith. It makes this job pretty lonely..." Sarna winked at Carth. Surely she didn't think anything could possibly happen between the two of them...?

Before Carth could say anything to cool Sarna off, Revan interjected on his behalf. "You're just doing your job, right? I don't hold that against you."

"Save the sympathetic best friend act. I'm not buying it." Sarna more or less spat the words at Aaryn.

"Sorry," Carth said. "We're not trying to judge you."

Sighing, Sarna took nonchalantly took the third seat at the table, sloshing her glass of Alderaanian rosé wine next to Aaryn's empty shot glass. "Ah, it's ok. I might have overreacted a bit. But can you blame me? Everywhere I look, I see one of you Tarisians glaring at me with hate in your eyes."

"We're not actually from Taris," Aaryn noted. "We're just stuck here until the quarantine ends."

Sarna's eyes widened a touch. "You're offworlders? Huh, I figure you'd be even more angry, being stuck on a foreign planet and all."

The server droid was collecting glasses nearby, Carth saw, and figured that this Sarna could probably do to stop her drinking. He gulped the remainder of his beer, and called for the droid. "9C, can we get another round here for the two of us?" he asked, pointing to himself and Aaryn.

The droid looked at Carth with what could only have been blankness, though had it owned a face would have given Carth a spitefulness, before taking the empty glasses and walking back toward the bar. When 9C returned with their refilled drinks, Aaryn was saying to Sarna "Hey, we're both strangers on Taris. We have to stick together."

"You're right!" replied Sarna. "It's like everyone on this backwater planet is in a permanent bad mood. Don't they know they have to make the best of things?"

"Everybody has there ups and downs...it's how you deal with them that counts."

"Exactly!" the Sith officer explained. "It's all about attitude. I didn't ask to be assigned to this backwater planet, but I try to make the best of it!" She downed the last of her drink. "It's pretty easy to get depressed on an assignment that is like this, but we do what we can to keep our spirits up."

"It must be tough, being stationed on a hostile world," Carth chimed in.

Sarna looked at him gratefully. "That's true. It's nice to meet someone who understands what I'm going through. It's good to talk about this stuff - it gets pretty lonely up at the military base. I have get going soon; I've got a shift at the military base. But some of us junior officers are having a party tonight to blow off some steam. I'd really like to see you both there. Why don't you drop by the party? It's at my place - Fryd Sector, Za'Fraan Towers, 106th floor, Apartment 52."

Carth swiftly memorised the address - and by the looks of it, so had Aaryn - and said, "Sounds good! We'll be there."

"Don't be late. We're starting right after our shifts end at 18 hundred hours. Most of us won't even be going back to the base to lock up our uniforms." Sarna stood. "I look forward to seeing you there." And before anyone could stop her, she'd bent down and planted a lustrous kiss on Carth. After a minute or so, she finally let go and left.

"And I thought she was a lesbian," Aaryn mused.


	7. Chapter 6

_SIX_

_PALESIA CENTRAL COMMAND, LANNIK_

Forn Dodonna, Admiral and Supreme Commander of the Republic's forces, was rarely - if ever - allowed a chance to sleep. What with the Sith Empire running circles around the Republic fleet, combined with Republic soldiers deserting left, right, and centre, many were left wondering as to just how Dodonna kept on going. The answer, as her happy-go-lucky aide would say, was a nightly routine of an hour-long soak in the bath, quickly followed by a relaxing massage from the best Twi'lek masseurs credits could buy. The truth, as told by Admiral Dodonna, was an hourly routine of caf, caf, and more caf. Most nights she barely got an minute's rest due to the sheer amount of caffeine coursing through her blood.

Thank the Force for make-up.

And so it was that Dodonna had taken to piling her duties onto her aide; who in turn had begun to pile those duties upon his own aides. It wasn't everyday that dozens of junior under-secretaries to Republic senators were expected to draft a plan of action to retake a system here, or destroy a shipyard there, but Dodonna simply needed a break. Preferably _before_ she made a fatal mistake and accidentally allowed Coruscant to be overrun with Sith Acolytes bearing lightsabres.

Fortunately, that was not about to happen any time soon. Almost a full year ago, the Republic had routed a massive Sith fleet in orbit of Lannik, and the Sith had been on the defensive ever since. Now, Dodonna was in the midst of a full inspection tour of duty on the front lines, and she'd chosen Palesia, capital city of Lannik, as her base of operations for the time being. Unfortunately for the Republic's annual budget, Dodonna's move also meant that the entire defence department had to up sticks and move with her. Already, the HoloNet was awash with anti-Dodonna sentiments, most of which sprouted from those working within the Senate itself. As long as Dodonna kept fighting the good fight, the Supreme Chancellor couldn't afford to fire her. Or, at least, she hoped.

Dodonna was career military, so it was unsurprising to note that she lived like a Mandalorian, thus the only items to be found in her quarters were a large, wroshyr bookcase, a small durasteel desk flanked either side by a pair of uncomfortable durasteel chairs, and a considerably large ceiling fan, which Dodonna had requested be fit after three hours of profuse sweating in the dry Lannik heat. To the left of the desk, an antique wroshyr door opened to a hall with similar doors leading to a small bedroom, a refresher egress, and a personal dining room. Apart from a small pile of flimsi on her desk, Dodonna's quarters were spotless. Her aide, Marloon Zher, often commented on Dodonna's lack of personal touch; not a single holo of her family or friends in sight. She'd even kept the Lannik decorators from changing the colour-scheme from the neutral greys and whites that already adorned the ceiling, walls, and shag-pile carpet.

Already in the middle of her twelth cup of caf that morning, Dodonna, sat behind her desk, was expecting a call from the Supreme Chancellor's office on Coruscant. She did not, however, truly expect anything different from the last time she'd been commed. The loss of whole systems, Dodonna knew, would force the Chancellor to place the blame squarely on her shoulders yet again, if only to save his own ass. For the sake of argument, Dodonna would play along. But when the time came to write her memoirs, the admiral would reveal everything she had on the Chancellor; all the dirt, lies, and scandal - from his family's background, to how he'd managed to win a landslide victory mere days after the previous Chancellor, the Kel Dor Jhorash B'etann, was killed in the Battle of Vanquo. All in all, Dodonna surmised the Chancellor would take up at least five chapters of her memoirs alone.

Dodonna's personal holocomm bleeped, interrupting her musings. She keyed in her access code, and waited with baited breath.

Supreme Chancellor Fiennes Tarkin, regaled in a red shimmersilk robe, had been in his mid-fifties when he'd been sworn in six years ago, with black hair in a fashionable Eriaduan style. Dark brown eyes, deep-set and rimmed in a prominent brow, had always been regarded as (though Dodonna would whole-heartedly disagree) one of the kindest, most caring pair of eyes to ever grace the Galactic Senate. Now though, the black hair was gone, entirely replaced with a deep grey. The so-called kind and caring eyes were beset by wrinkles and scars that weren't present when last they'd spoken. The smile was the worst part of the man, though; a smile that had always reached his eyes, even when he lied, and Dodonna regarded it as the bane of the Republic. Still, the Senate regarded Tarkin as their saviour; their knight in shining armour, and Dodonna was not prepared to deny them that.

"Supreme Chancellor. To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Admiral Dodonna," Tarkin acknowledged. "May I assure you, the pleasure is all mine."

Dodonna cocked an eyebrow. "Naturally."

Tarkin, a man who always kept his face neutral, unusually mimicked her expression for a split second before going on. "I'll endeavour to keep this brief. I trust I need not remind you of the status of the Sith fleet."

A rhetorical question, Dodonna chose instead to answer. "Of course, Chancellor," she said. "Malak has our forces effectively on the defensive. Hell, if a lieutenant on Ryloth sneezed, the Dark Lord would know about it. I trust I need not to tell _you_, Chancellor, that we are losing this war; we simply do not have the resources necessary to strategically rout their Malak's forces."

Tarkin's gaze became as hard as durasteel. "It would be bad for morale, Admiral, if any of the troops on the front lines knew of this."

_In that I would be out of a job_, thought Dodonna. "Believe me, Chancellor, there is absolutely no risk of our men losing morale."

Unnervingly, Tarkin produced one of his famous, or - in Dodonna's mind - infamous, smiles. He remained like this, still, silent, and smiling, for a short moment, before returning to his usual neutral self. But it was a moment fraught with warning nonetheless. "Grand Master Vandar reports that one of the apprentices have disappeared."

"Yes, Chancellor," replied Dodonna. "Marloon informed me of the _Endar Spire_'s disappearance over Taris. The reports I've received are, so far, sketchy."

"Did Marloon also report that Taris is now under Sith control, Admiral?"

Dodonna swallowed loudly. She had hoped to keep this little piece of intel under wraps for as long as possible.

"Did he also tell you," Tarkin continued, "that the Sith destroyed the _Endar Spire_?"

That got her attention. No one, _no one_, was supposed to know about Taris and the _Endar Spire_. Well, apart from herself, Marloon, and the Jedi Council, obviously. Chancellor Tarkin, ideally, should never have even heard about the debacle until weeks after any survivors had been debriefed. That the Chancellor knew put Dodonna more on edge than even the war could. She downed the rest of her caf, and immediately stood and headed to her kitchen to make another. "Excuse me, Chancellor, but I believe-"

"Cannok got your tongue, Admiral?" Tarkin interrupted. His face became dark, as if the lighting had been lowered on Coruscant. "The _Endar Spire _may have been one ship, but Taris is an entire _system_ that's now lost to the Sith. You are not on the Senate's payroll to lose our systems, Admiral Dodonna. From Taris, the Sith are a couple of victories away from taking the Delta Quadrant portion of the Hydian Way. After that, they'll be only a couple of jumps away from Coruscant intself. The casualties will be atrocious; it will be a bloodbath akin to nothing we have ever before known in the Republic's history!" Tarkin's gaze stared daggers through the HoloNet. "On your head be it, Admiral Dodonna." The Chancellor ended the commincation.

Dodonna stood in silence. She couldn't yet decide if she felt furious at being treated like a schoolgirl, or terrrified of the Chancellor's wrath. All she knew was that she desperately needed another caf.


	8. Chapter 7

_SEVEN_

_JEDI HIGH COUNCIL CHAMBER, JEDI TEMPLE, CORUSCANT_

To the denizens of the Republic, Jedi Council meetings were thought of as mind-numbingly boring, with the Masters sitting in their high-backed chairs debating whatever subject the Senate found to be too petty. _Well if that were true_, though Jedi Master Kavar, _they'd be entirely correct._ Except this time, the Masters were being contrary to that rule, and argument had broken out in the ancient chamber. Kavar, a native of Alderaan, had been on the Council for the better part of five years, and in all that time, the Council had never witnessed such negativity.

Master Vandar, usually the infectious calm in the storm, had walked from the chamber over an hour previously. Master Chitt, the only Toydarian in the Order, fluttered in front of Order's historian Master Atris, all the while flailing his arms around in disgust as Atris continued to argue her point vehemently. The Geonosian Master Prilka Doj's powerfully built wings beat the air in frustration practically every time the Mandalorian Master Veryte uttered a word. Masters Vrook, Zhar, Tiimah, Dorak, Lonna Vash, and Zez-Kai Ell simply sat in their places in silence, their eyes closed and thoughts shut off from the world. The messenger who'd brought about this particular argument, the Rodian Vice Chancellor, Hreeda Tan, had gracefully entered, spoken eloquently, answered what questions the Masters put to him, and left without uttering another word. Kavar was the first to admit he'd never been the first to defend any of Hreeda's actions, past or present, and his actions today had proven Kavar's opinion of the Rodian.

The argument was beginning to gain volume. Doj's wings were beating so fast he was actually hovering a dozen centimetres off the marble floor. Within minutes, Vrook was on his feet and raising his voice, augmenting it with the Force so that he was heard above the ruckuss.

"Stop this! All of you!"

The Masters who were currently on their feet - in Doj's case, in the air - fell silent immediately and turned to face Vrook. The fifty-one year old Master simply gave each of them a highly condescending look. This apparently held enough sway with them, Kavar mused, that the Masters returned to their seats, egos bruised and tempers cooled. Only after the last, Chitt, had sat did Vrook return to his own place in the Chamber. On the right-hand side of the Chamber's entrance sat Dorak, to his right Masters Veryte, Zhar, Vandar, and Kavar. To Kavar's right sat Vash, Vrook, Ell, the historian Atris, Chitt, Doj, and finally the Zabrak Jedi Watchman Tiimah.

"If anyone here wishes to continue acting like a babbling, bumbling band of bantha," said Vrook, "they will kindly leave this Temple at once." When silence continued in the Chamber, Vrook went on, "Now, we must decide what we are going to do about the Taris debacle."

"If what Chairman Tan told us is true," Dorak said, "the Chancellor will use this ambush to discredit the Order."

Chitt's wings sprang up in anger. "He wouldn't dare! The Galactic Senate would never be swayed by manoeuvring so transparent!"

"Calm yourself, Chitt," Vash spoke. "Your faith in the Senate is commendable, but even you know that the senators have always supported Chancellor Tarkin. Remember Malachor Five."

Tiimah, his hands resting on his powerful thighs, spoke with a weariness not easily acknowledged. "Lonna, I am sure none of us here need reminding of that terrible day. Master Vandar, your empathic abilities are legend; can you sense nothing of Bastila?"

Vandar, his eyes closing, sat still for a long moment. Eventually he opened his eyes and Kavar could immediately see that his old master had failed. "I sense nothing of Bastila, Master Tiimah, though I suspect we all would have sensed her passing, were she indeed dead."

"A pity Master Thop is no longer with us," said Dorak. Thop, Bastila's master, had been killed in battle on Lannik not long ago, taking a stray blaster bolt to the head that would have felled Admiral Dodonna otherwise, after the two were disarmed. Kavar had been standing only a hundred metres away at the time. Thop and Bastila had shared a connection, like any master and apprentice, but what was remarkable was the sheer strength of the bond. Bastila was leading a Republic assault on the planet's second city on the other side of the world, and had still sensed her master's death. There was little doubt that, had their roles been reversed, Thop would have sensed Bastila's fall too.

Atris, her long white hair cascading down around the back of the waist, admitted, "It is not Bastila we need to worry over; it is her...companion who truly holds the key to a Republic victory. If he dies, so do the Jedi."

"There is no need to repeat this argument again, Atris," said Vrook. "I for one would like to return to the subject at hand."

"Taris cannot remain in Malak's hands," Zhar said. "There are simply too many resources for Malak to exploit. The Republic could very well lose this war."

"Just one of many reasons the Chancellor cannot afford to turn against us fully," said Vash, nodding.

Kavar, as well as several of the others, nodded thoughtfully. The Council had long suspected Chancellor Tarkin of spreading, unofficially of course, anti-Jedi sentiment throughout the Republic and several of the outlying systems since the beginning of the Jedi Civil War. The Senate, ever indebted to their glorious leader, had backed Tarkin's appeals, and so the Jedi had been forced to take a back-seat in the war against Malak. And like every other part of the Republic, the Jedi relied on a yearly budget.

A budget that had been cut quite severely.

Because of the lower funding, the Jedi Temple had suffered; the exterior paint-work was peeling, and light fixtures were routinely falling from the ceilings. The Chancellor had even gone so far as to cut the electricity supply to the Temple, leaving the lowest rooms bathed in utter darkness both day and night.

Atris' face was one of scorn. "Bah! We are down to ten percent of reserve power and refresher systems are beginning to shut down! We can't even recharge our lightsabres without entering a public space."

"I suspect that is what the Chancellor is trying to do," Kavar said in measured tones. "I also suspect that he would not wish further Jedi involvement on Taris."

"Further Jedi involvement?" asked Zhar. "The Chancellor cannot expect we're wanting to rebuild the Jedi Tower; it's preposterous!"

Vrook was on his feet. "The Jedi Tower was a failure, an embarrassment to our Order. I only hope in the Force that the general public does not gain knowledge of those events-"

The Master halted midsentence. Kavar felt a series of vibrations under his booted feet, and a low murmur was heard in the air. But the worst was yet to hit them.

* * *

><p><em>ROOM OF A THOUSAND FOUNTAINS, JEDI TEMPLE, CORUSCANT<em>

The blast tore through the ferrocrete walls of the Temple in a spectacular array of shrapnel. Two Jedi, meditating in silence around neighbouring fountains, were forced off their buttocks and metres into the air, before being hit by the airborne projectiles that previously made up the nearby wall. The Jedi fell to the floor with sickening crunches, and neither moved.

Satisfied that all was secure, Darth Bandon used the Force to propell himself onto the top-most level of the meditation chamber. His master had ordered him away from the Taris assault after his failure to capture Bastila on the _Endar Spire_ three days previously. _Soon_, he thought, _I'll be the master, and Malak shall tremble on all fours before me on the surface of Korriban_.

For every Jedi taken into the Temple here on Coruscant, at least five were accepted into the Sith Academy on Korriban, Bandon knew. The Academy, founded during the Great Sith War almost forty-four years ago, was one of many spread throughout the known galaxy, training would-be Acolytes in the ways of the Dark Side of the Force. Bandon himself had been accepted into the academy on Korriban, had excelled on all levels, and before long had won the admiration of a certain Darth Malak.

After the treacherous Jedi attempted to destroy Darth Revan, Malak's former master, Malak travelled back to Korriban in order to search for an Apprentice. And since all the other candidates had met with 'unfortunate accidents' in the Valley of the Sith Lords, Bandon was the only Acolyte left in less than ten bloody and charred pieces for Malak to take on as his own. Over the months, Malak and Bandon had become so entwined with the Force, that onlookers had fled in sheer terror at the sight of the pair mowing down unwary Sith troops.

Suddenly, Bandon felt the tell-tale presense of those strong in the Light Side of the Force. The Sith Apprentice wrapped his Force aura tight around himself, lowering his own presense so as not to give himself away too soon. As several Jedi gathered in the doorway that was close-by, Bandon slipped into the shadows beneath a large waterfall, mindful to keep his aura cloaked.

A lanky, somewhat non-descript Togruta Jedi, who to Bandon's eye could be no more than twenty standard years of age, was the first to enter the enormous chamber and, trading words with the Human on his left, cautiously stepped forward, surveying the once-tranquil area. It took all of Bandon's self-control not to place his hand on his lightsabre and ignite the twin crimson blades; he longed to cleave filthy Jedi heads from their filthy Jedi bodies.

The Togruta continued stepping forward gradually, lightsabre at the ready. Within moments, he'd passed Bandon's hiding place and entered a large copse of assari trees. Bandon's lips curled into a viscious smile. The Togruta had just elected himself the next to die.

The Sith Apprentice, mindful to keep his aura gathered tightly to his body, silently slipped through the shadows from under the waterfall and followed the Togruta. It wasn't particularly difficult, mused Bandon. All he had to do was pounce on the alien Jedi from behind and the filthy Togruta's body would fall limply to the floor.

_In pieces_, added Bandon.

* * *

><p>Kavar ran into the Room of a Thousand Fountains, and came to an abrupt stop. To his left, the Master saw a gaping hole in the wall, with blue sky, obscured by smoke, in the distance. Two apprentices, Gallar Styles and M'Tas-Lioe, lay in unnatural positions on the debris-ravaged floor. With a <em>snap-hiss <em>Kavar activated his lightsabres, a normal blue-bladed variant and a shoto of the same colour. Up ahead was danger, and he knew he was walking right into the thick of it.

Kavar stalked further into the room, wary of an ambush. Clearly, the attacker - whoever they were - had known what they were doing. Kavar however, had absolutely no clue as to what the attacker had planned. Stretching out with the Force, Kavar's eyes widened in shock. The attacker was trained in the Force, attempting to cloak themselves within the mystical energy field. Kavar smiled knowingly; had the infiltrator learnt that particular talent from Master Vash, they most likely would've been able to elude him. It was fortunate they had not.

The Jedi Master, using the Force as his aid, sprang thirty or so metres into the air and propelled himself through the air like the expert acrobat he was. His lightsabres at the ready to stab into the infiltrator as he hit the floor, Kavar fell through the assari treetops. The blue blades plunged into the floor up to their hilts. His expected opponent - his expectantly dead opponent, Kavar added silently - was not there.

Before he could peer around his location, Kavar was blasted back by a powerful wave of Force energy. Rolling to his feet as he landed, the Jedi Master raised his lightsabres in the Jar'Kai varient of a Form VI defence. Kavar was momentarily taken aback as he saw a lone figure, wielding a crimson blade of their own, racing toward him.

The blades of the two opponents clashed with a heat all of their own. Master Kavar, almost stunned by the sheer raw power possessed by the infiltator, attempted to drive his opponent back, but to no avail. In fact, it was Kavar who was being driven back. Step by step, his opponent's blade slammed into his own with amazingly deft and agile grace, which almost made Kavar wonder whether his opponent had studied under a blademaster.

Spotting an opening, Kavar feinted with his off-hand, bringing his right-hand lightsabre over his opponent's blade so as to decapitate the dark warrior and bring the duel to an abrupt halt. His opponent wasn't fooled so easily, however. As soon as Kavar's blade swung for his neck, the warrior dived down and almost took Kavar's legs off at the knees. Kavar flipped into the air and landed nimbly on the floor two metres from the warrior's left. From the smell Kavar deduced that the warrior had come too close for comfort; the legs of his pants were badly singed. He had to bring this to an end, and quickly.

Deactivating his lightsabres, Kavar stood facing his enemy. "You are foolish to believe you can end my life, warrior."

"My master has allowed me to kill all who attempt to stop me. This is the beginning of a new age; The Age of the Sith!" The warrior cackled with hatred so strong that it stung Kavar's eyes. "And no Jedi shall have a place in the New Order. Your time is at an end, Kavar. Face it, and die with what little honour you still command."

The warrior hefted his lightsabre above his head, preparing to sweep horizontally through Kavar's body. The Jedi Master gathered the Force around him, feeling its' currents and eddies, until he could take no more. Finally, before the warrior could bring his blade around and down, Kavar unleashed a blast of pure Force energy that hit the warrior, lifted him off his feet, and sent him flying toward the other side of the Room of a Thousand Fountains - some thousand metres away.

"After you, sir," said Kavar as the warrior hit the wall with a loud smack.


	9. Chapter 8

CHAPTER EIGHT

_UNDERCITY, TARIS_

She woke with a start. Her torturers had finished with her...how long ago? _Must be several hours, at least_, she thought.

Her world was pitch blackness; her eyes had failed her after a particularly lengthy "interrogation" had over-stimulated the occipital lobe in her brain, causing her to scream in pain as her vision brightened to painfully bright white light for several minutes, before turning to blackness and causing her to fall unconscious.

Apparently her torturers considered that unworthy of continuing with the sadism.

Hearing wasn't good either - in fact, she was virtually deaf. One of the sadists, an Anzat of lithe body, had unsheathed the pair of proboscises she kept hidden in her cheeks and proceeded to guide them into her ear canals so as to simply amuse herself. The pain of feeling her tympanic membranes perforating bordered on the extreme. Now that she'd awakened, she could feel the blood and the pus dried down her neck and her exposed body.

All in all, Bastila Shan was thoroughly skrogged off. And whenever - _however_ - she escaped, her captors would have the worst kriffing day of their lives.

* * *

><p><em>UPPER CITY, TARIS<em>

Night had fallen, Taris' moon Rogue was high in the sky - soon to be followed by the remaining three - and yet the ecumenopolis of Taris continued to be as lively as it ever was during the height of daylight. Carth was taking a power nap on one of the apartment's single beds. Aaryn, however, wasn't getting much rest due to Carth's incessant snoring. Instead of attempting to get some shut-eye, Aaryn had wandered over to one of the apartment's windows, opened it a few inches, and basked in the cool, fresh Tarisian breaze.

The city-scape was almost breathtaking - at least it would be if one could wipe away the racism and inherent arrogance from the faces of many of Taris' upper class. Aaryn and Carth had seen it for themselves the moment they stepped out of the apartment just that morning. Then there was an old man who was whining on about how "alien scum were poised to invade!" - as if he had any kind of right to dictate who could and could not walk the free streets of Taris. Aaryn hadn't long been able to remain composed; Carth, fortunately, had stopped him from lashing in any way, shape, or form - before any innocent (and not-so-innocent) passersby could get hurt through any ensuing violence.

Hundreds of pairs of blazing lights signalled the headlamps of Taris' night traffic, each pair corresponding to several varieties of airspeeder whizzing past at high speed. Aaryn found himself wondering about the passengers of those airspeeders; who they were, what species they were, where they were going. Unfortunately, the Sith conquest had grounded all non-Sith ships from leaving the planet, as well as curtailing the amount of traffic speeding across the atmosphere. Usually, Aaryn surmised, there would have been thousands - tens of thousands - of speeders in the air, even in the dead of night.

He looked at the chrono above the door - 18:27. They'd have to leave for Sarna's party in the next few minutes if they weren't to be late. She may have been quite harmonious (for a Sith trooper), but if Aaryn and Carth angered her - considering her no doubt inebriated state - by not putting in an appearance at the party, it was sure to bring out her homicidal side. The Force hath no fury like a woman or Anzat scorned.

A drawn-out yawn signalled Carth awakening from his slumber. "Feels almost like home," he said after a lengthy pause.

Home. For Aaryn, home was Deralia, a planet in the Outer Rim of a system of the same name. Located within the Tammuz Sector, Deralia held a fair amount of trade due to being close to a major hyperspace route connecting the Perlemian Trade Route in the Gamma Quadrant with the Corellian Run, in the Alpha Quadrant. During the Mandalorian Wars, Deralia had taken in hundreds of Ferengi refugees after the Mandalorians conquered their ancient homeworld, and Aaryn had been present among the Republic forces who had ferried the survivors from the destruction. Aaryn's world had twice resisted Mandalorian forces, pushing them back into Hutt Space on both occasions, and so Admiral Dodonna had personally recommended the agricultural biosphere.

For most worlds, taking in refugees involved a certain loss to that particular world's economy. But the Deralian economy had in fact been dramatically bolstered by the large-lobed species. The Ferengi were known to be tricksters, though it seemed that infamy had been outdone by the genocide inflicted upon them.

"Yeh. I guess so."

Carth sighed silently. "Before the Sith came, Thani was much like this; kilometre-tall skyscrapers, etcetera. At night, there would even be crowds of people bustling through the walkways." he moved over to stand next to Aaryn, his forearms resting on the seam of the open window. "I remember growing up as a boy wondering why there were always be thousands of residents awake at night; they should've been asleep. It wasn't until I was fifteen that I soon learnt the reason," Carth said with a childish smirk.

Without looking at his companion, Aaryn motioned toward the door. "We should get going, if you're ready?"

The commander nodded, and they left the apartment.

* * *

><p>Having left their apartment tower behind them, Carth and Aaryn were pacing toward the elevator across the walkway that would take them down to Sarna's own apartment, which was located on the neighbouring tower's 114th floor. Hidden in the shadows, before the elevator doors, was an elderly man. A Human of not-so-gentile nature and an Aqualish were standing in front of him, both carrying heavyweight weaponry - a Zabrak Tystel Mark III on the Aqualish, and an Arkanian heavy pistol on the Human.<p>

"Davik says you missed your payments," stated the Human.

"Davik don't like you missing payments," added the Aqualish, apparently the lesser of these two evils.

The old man looked scared half to death. "Here - I've got fifty credits! A down payment; that should buy me some time, right?"

The Human thug tutted and shook his head. "Sorry," he said, hefting his Arkanian. "You're out of time. Now, it's all or nothing. Davik can't have people not paying his debts."

The Aqualish grew agitated and slowly began to raise his Tystel. Carth whispered into Aaryn's ear. "I know we have to be careful about drawing attention to ourselves, but are we just going to let them drag this guy off?"

"That too bad," the Aqualish thug was saying. "Davik going to want us to make example out of you! You're coming with us!"

"No! Help; somebody help!" The old man was sobbing uncontrollably as he backed himself into the wall. "They're going to kill me!"

The Human, gifted with good hearing it seemed, held a hand out to stop his companion from inadvertently shooting the blithering man. "Hold on a second. Looks like we got ourselves a witness here."

The Aqualish turned to Carth and Aaryn. "Davik don't like witnesses."

Aaryn, however, wasn't intimidated, and Carth was left wondering as to whether the young Republic officer would even be bothered by having a blaster waving picometres from his face. Aaryn pointed his blaster at the Human. "Leave this man alone, or you'll have to deal with us."

The Human's eyebrows flew up into his hairline. The Aqualish's mouth leapt agape in utter shock, as if no one had ever before thought to fight back.

"Guess we have to teach you to mind your own business," said the Human thug.

Before either thug had their weapons raised to fire, Carth and Aaryn had sent at least six shots each into the pair, sending them over the edge of the walkway and down into the abyss below.

* * *

><p><em>UNDERCITY, TARIS<em>

Brejik was in the mood for games. It had been almost a week since his men had captured the woman, and only now had Brejik finally gleamed some kind of information on her. She went by the name Bastila Shan. She was born on the planet of Talravin in the Core, nearly 24 standard years ago. She worked with the Galactic Republic, and not just as an officer. It turned out that Bastila was a Jedi. A Jedi of all things! At last Brejik could begin to understand her resilience to torture.

Which was when he'd decided to hire in the services of an Anzat to help the process along. Anzat were known for their immunity to certain Force-based abilities, and this particular Anzat female came at quite a price - but in Brejik's mind, she was worth every decicred. Though her body couldn't quite amount to Bastila's, not with her years of gruelling training in the Jedi Arts at least, Nakia Yoru had been highly recommended by the bounty hunter Calo Nord, and as such, Brejik had secured a one-to-one meeting with the torture specialist.

Nakia was not what he'd expected. Her hair was red as blood, contrasting perfectly with icy blue eyes. Her skin was pale enough to suggest she'd spent many a year on somewhere like Hoth, Ando Prime, or Rigel 10. She wore deep red lipstick and very little mascara, and wore skin-tight rancor hide clothes that did not leave much to the imagination. Brejik had given Nakia 50,000 credits - just over half of her full payment - upfront, and gave her the chance to demonstrate her abilities firsthand by allowing her access to Bastila. After ten minutes, Nakia had left a bleeding, temporarily blind and deaf prisoner who was literally gagging for more abuse.

It made Brejik's mouth salivate. Luckily for the leader of the Black Vulkars, Bastila could easily take more punishment.

Oh yes. Brejik was most certainly in the mood for games.

Brejik's thoughts were interrupted as Kandon Ark paced into his private sanctum. "What is it?"

Kandon swallowed. "There are several strange men making their way through the Undercity. Witnesses report they used the main elevator from the Upper City, and that Taris is now under direct control of someone they called Darth Malak. The newcomers seem-"

"Sith!" spat Brejik. "Sith in the Undercity! We must stop them. I want everyone to ready their swoops."

"Brejik?"

Brejik stopped, his mind in full gear. "No, belay that. Round up eight of our best and have them meet us in the garage in half an hour. It is imperative we strike now!"

Kandon nodded. "Yes, Brejik," and left.

* * *

><p><em>APARTMENT 52, ZA'FRAAN TOWERS, UPPER CITY<em>

"Hey! You made it!"

Aaryn and Carth had just stepped inside Sarna's apartment, to be greeted by a cacophony of music and laughter, and by a warm hug from Sarna herself. "I was beginning to wonder if you were going to show! The party's in full swing - come on in!" Sarna, appropriately drunk, handed them both pints of some yellowish, semi-translucent, alcoholic liquid. "You _have_ to try this Tarisian ale - it's fantastic!" Sarna immediately threw her head back and downed her own pint of ale in only a few huge gulps.

"We should've conquered this planet ages ago!" And with that, Sarna left to rejoin the party.

Aaryn and Carth slowly turned their heads and faced one another and snorted in laughter. "Don't look at me," said Aaryn. "You're the one who agreed for us to come here."


	10. Chapter 9

CHAPTER NINE

_HIGH COUNCIL CHAMBER, JEDI TEMPLE, CORUSCANT_

Kavar had led the teams of Jedi from the pinnacles of the Temple's spires to the darkest caverns of the catacombs below the foundations. The Dark Jedi had yet to be found - even Master Vandar had crept through the ventilation systems throughout the Temple's infrastructure, but to no avail. The warrior hadn't even accidentally let his guard down.

The only other places to search were the four council chambers.

Kavar stood outside the main double doors, with Atris and the Rodian Jedi Knight Fel Druorr backing him up. "Masters, what happens if this warrior is not here?" asked Druorr.

Atris scoffed at him. "He's here. I sense him."

Kavar knew Atris to be abrupt with those she considered below her. He also knew her to be strong in the Force. But Kavar was sure beyond doubt that his Force potential was greater than that of Atris' own. And he had absolutely no sense of the Dark Jedi within the High Council Chamber. "Atris-"

"He is there, Kavar. He is there, and once we find him, he shall die."

She was resolute, of that Kavar was certain. But he had to admit that Atris' attitude had become disturbing of late. Since Meetra Surik had been forced to leave the Order after the closing of the Mandalorian Wars, Atris had become brusque, standoffish, boastful - and arrogantly so. Kavar often thought about where his old sparring partner was at any given moment, what she doing. The day Meetra stood in the Council Chamber, the day they had exiled her, she had seemed so right, so ... full of conviction for her actions in the Wars. And yet there was something else - deeper, past the surface.

Meetra Surik had been empty. As if she had let go of the Force.

Or had the Force let go of her?

Kavar turned to Atris. "No, Atris. If he is to die, it will be Malak who swings the blade. Not us."

"We are Jedi. We will do what we have to; if that means killing those who defile our Temple, so be it."

"Calm, Atris," said Kavar. "We are Jedi, yes. But that gives us neither the need nor the right to take any life." He looked into his colleague's eyes, pleading with her inner nature. "We had Bastila Shan take that oath, but she killed Darth Revan only because she had no other options available to her. This Dark Jedi, should we find him here, will only die by my hand if there is no other course available. Will you do the same?"

Atris' face seemed to soften a little, but it hardened once again in a flash as her personality reasserted itself. "Do what you will, Kavar. And I will do as I will; as the Force bids me."

* * *

><p>Darth Bandon, hanging upside-down in the rafters of the High Council Chamber, and concealing himself in the Force, had almost had enough. He could hear two Jedi talking amongst themselves just outside the doors. Instead of entering in an attempt to locate him, the Jedi were squabbling. Perhaps Malak had a few sympathisers in the Temple, mused Bandon.<p>

Perhaps another Great Schism was on the way.

Bandon grimaced at the thought. That was all he needed; more Jedi to turn the the Dark Side, becoming stronger in the Force for the effort, and all the while his master would continually be searching for Bandon's replacement among their ranks.

Before he could continue with his line of thought, Bandon heard the faint hum of the opening double doors. Three Jedi entered - a Rodian, and and two Humans; the Rodian and the white-haired woman Bandon didn't immediately recognise, however he knew the Human man from only an hour earlier.

Kavar had barely escaped with his life in the Room of a Thousand Fountains. Now it seemed he believed three of them could stand against a Sith. No matter. Bandon had yet to unleash his full capability against him, and so he would fall. The Rodian would fall. And the white-haired lady would fall.

"I sense your presence, Warrior! Come out and face us like the coward you are!"

The white-haired woman was feisty. Now Bandon recognised her. Darth Malak had warned him to be on his guard when facing Master Atris; Jedi Historian or no, she was still a lethal weapon when provoked.

Therefore, she was a threat to him.

Darth Bandon, apprentice to Darth Malak, Dark Lord of the Sith, leapt down from his position and activated his twin blades.

* * *

><p>Within moments of hearing the distinct hum of activating blades, Kavar ignited his own lightsabres and spun on the spot - only to see Fel Druorr quartered by a rapidly spinning twin lightsabre. Atris leapt into the air, her Form VII mastery slipping into lethal gear. This allowed Kavar to pivot to the right - exactly where Atris had been - and block a horizontal swing by the Dark Jedi, who immediately bounded towards Master Chitt's council seat in an attempt to gain some ground.<p>

Kavar caught up to him and swung his primary sabre through Chitt's seat; the warrior leapt over Kavar, who had to duck and roll to avoid a fast and furious death, and the top portion of the council seat fell to the marbled floor with a crack. Atris landed nimbly to Kavar's left.

Three Jedi blades, against two Sith. Two masters against an apprentice.

They stood stock-still, stares piercing each combatant like bolts of lightning thrown from an ancient deity.

Atris was the first to break the silence. "You have no hope of victory here, Warrior. You will leave, or you will die."

The dark warrior laughed. "You are wrong, Master Atris. It is _you_ who will die. I have foreseen it. The Jedi Order shall crumble and fall, and I shall lead the galaxy into new dawn!"

"You?" Kavar asked, astounded at the very notion. "What of Malak? You foresee your master's death, too?"

The response was that of a large sneer from the warrior's mouth. "Naturally. He is weak, and I am strong. It is the role of the Apprentice to kill the Master. As Malak did to Revan, I will do to Malak; for I am Sith."

"And it is the role of the Jedi," spat Atris, "to kill the Sith and restore balance to the Force." She brought her brilliant blue blade up in a defensive posture as she spoke.

The Dark Jedi smiled. "Then by all means, follow me."

Before either Atris or Kavar could act, the warrior used the Force to shatter the glass window behind him, leaping out onto the roof of the Temple a metre below. Prior to landing, however, he hurled the shattered glass toward the two Jedi Masters. Atris Force-leapt out of the way, though Kavar was caught unprepared and sent flying through the opposite pane of glass. Without stopping to check on her colleague, Atris sped out of the chamber, lightsabre in hand, intent on following the assailant.

The roof of the Jedi Temple was close to six hundred metres square, covering the main Temple precinct used by the Order in a patchwork of durasteel tiles. Coruscant's false surface of durasteel and flexiglass surrounded the vista like a snug blanket.

The Dark Jedi threw his left arm out behind him and sent Force lightning hurtling toward Atris, who interposed the crackling blue energy with her blade. The pair continued to run along the roof; the warrior heading toward the north west, and Atris in pursuit. Suddenly, the Dark Jedi leapt into the air and brought himself down behind Atris, who kept running forward without abandon. Before she could reposition herself, she felt her body lift into the air and tossed around and around in a dizzying spin. Every so often, Atris caught a glimpse of the Dark Jedi - laughing with a crackling evilness that she would've sworn she could feel in her bones.

It took almost twenty seconds of this before Atris saw black creeping into the edges of her eyesight. Wind was now being swept up around her, and her extremities were beginning to feel the effects of paraesthesia, and her stomach felt as if it were performing backflips.

Before she began to vomit, Atris blacked out.

* * *

><p>Bandon cackled as the Jedi Master Atris fell limp in the centre of his Force-enduced maelstrom. Clearly she was not a true threat to him or his plans. Master Kavar hadn't pursued, so the Sith Lord assumed that the weapons master had been injured by his impromptu attack.<p>

Bandon used the Force to stop the maelstrom, watching as the Jedi Master fell hard onto the durasteel tiles, before continuing toward the Temple's archives. His master had ordered him to make the feint look as real as possible, and Bandon had taken it upon himself to make a stop by the holocron chambers.

It wasn't as if Malak ever had to know what Bandon was really here for.

Bandon used a Force-augmented leap to clear the last fifty metres to the approximate location of the archives; before landing he swept his blade in a rough circle and dropped through the durasteel roof, finally landing a hundred and fifty metres on the tan coloured marble flooring, using the Force to cushion the fall.

All around him were three metre-high shelves of nerf-hide bound books - the Jedi had yet to convert them to the new holographic form - spread out over sixteen levels.

Unfortunately there were no Jedi milling about for Bandon's blood-lust to consume. They were all too busy searching for him.

Opening himself to the Force, Bandon began a systematic sweep for the holocron chamber. Holocrons - especially the more powerful ones - often gave off a strong Force presence; Jedi, Sith, and all manner of other Force-users included a portion of their will inside the device. No one quite knew how this transference created the Force presence, but it was undeniable to those who called the Force their tool.

There was only one holocron Bandon had his sights set on.

He paced toward the central computer stations. The archives truly were deserted; he sensed absolutely no presences in the entire chamber. It made Bandon's mission much easier.

Though, he'd be the first to admit that he was massively disappointed.

* * *

><p>Colonel Hiyax Meru followed Vice Admiral Tiran Cede through the shuffling crowds. The admiral had chosen Monument Plaza as his own - and his senior officers' - personal de-stress area of Coruscant. Hiyax wasn't all that surprised, to be honest. The Republic Navy was taking quite the beating at the hands of the traitors Malak and Karath out in the Mid Rim, and Cede had been appointed as the commander of the Coruscant Home Fleet. Hiyax doubted Cede had actually wanted the assignment, not least because the admiral was not on the best of terms with fellow Admiral Dodonna.<p>

The admiral looked older with each passing day. The current war had lasted for several months now, and practically every officer's hair had turned grey since the beginning, with wrinkles not too far behind. Dodonna herself had gone from a deep brunette to plasteel grey in less than half a year, though her commanding demeanour had fortunately not borne the brunt of time's assault.

The alternating intonations of emergency sirens interrupted Hiyax's ruminations. Dozens of metres above Monument Plaza, Coruscant Security Force speeders shot through the atmosphere, sirens screaming and lights blaring. Looking back at Cede, Hiyax saw that the admiral was speaking into his comlink. After several minutes, Cede returned his comlink to his belt and strode toward Hiyax. "That was the Anti-Terrorism Unit. They're responding to reports of incidents in the Jedi Temple, in which several Jedi are believed to have been injured."

"The Jedi Temple?" Hiyax almost didn't believe it. The Jedi Temple was supposedly impenetrable against any form of assault, easily dissuading anyone from attempting such a feat. "Surely everyone would know attacking the Jedi would be suicide; what would possess anyone to do that?"

Cede appeared to frown at the suggestion, his dark face a mask of concern. "From what I've been told, there're supposed to be a lightsabres involved. _Red_ ones."

Hiyax paled at the thought. _Sith on Coruscant_.


	11. Chapter 10

CHAPTER TEN

__APARTMENT 52, ZA'FRAAN TOWERS, UPPER_ CITY_

"Get ready for me, love, 'cos I'm a commer; I simply gotta march, my heart's a drummer! Nobody, no, nobody is gonna rain on my parade!"

Belting out the final lyric, Sarna bent over double, her back screaming with pain that was dulled down by the sheer amount of Tarisian ale in her body. Not one to announce such weakness, she decided to drop her microphone, then hurl her legs up into the air and over her body, performing a perfectly drunken part-somersault and landing flat on her gluteus muscles.

Without even batting an eyelid, Sarna returned to her feet, and immediately fell once more - this time being caught by the arms of one of the most masculine men she'd known. "You ok?" Carth asked, and Sarna's heart fluttered.

She batted her eyelids, before replying, "Kiss me!"

And she slapped her hands onto both of Carth's cheeks and forced her lips to mate with his.

* * *

><p>Carth and Aaryn watched as Sarna attempted to perform a somersault, landing on her backside after screaming the lyrics to <em>Don't Rain on My Parade<em>, a song from an ancient period in galactic history. Carth was forced to rush forward as the drunk performer stood and immediately began to fall again. Landing in his arms, Carth said to her, "You ok?"

The Sith officer's eyelids appeared to flutter, before she said something that resembled an incredibly vulgar word, slapped both her hands onto Carth's cheeks and put her lips to his own.

The kiss was so unexpected that Carth simply couldn't pull away from Sarna before feeling her tongue press against his lips, attempting to gain entry to his mouth. Then it got worse.

In the span of seconds, Sarna vomited all over Carth - braking the kiss - and fell to the floor unconscious. She then vomited again, spewing partly-digested alcohol over the floor of her apartment.

Carth turned to face Aaryn. The junior mercenary officer was struggling to stifle a laugh, and Carth had to admit that he was beginning to do the same. The contents of Sarna's stomach dripped from his face, either landing on the floor or on his prized orange flight-jacket. "Don't say it."

"I thought she was a lesbian, remember?" replied Aaryn. "Besides, I never realised your kissing was so bad."

Carth simply raised an eyebrow by way of response.

* * *

><p><em>UNDER CITY, TARIS<em>

Leaving the door ajar, Brejik exited the 'fresher and padded, naked, to his bed. He lay down, and brought his hand sweeping across the equally naked body of a fair-skinned young woman. Her body was so tempting to Brejik, so much a reminder of Bastila's own that he almost forgot the subtle differences. Almost.

"My dear sweet Ada." He spoke into her ear, his voice softly lilting.

Ada woke, her dark eyes opening and turning to meet his. She wasn't unlovely, certainly not by any sane person's standards, but she was by no means a match for Bastila's beauty. And he told her so.

Tears pooled in Ada's eyes, finally streaming down her face and neck, and eventually her breasts. To Brejik, it was highly erotic, reminiscent of his first relationship. He and Kandon Ark, a green-skinned Twi'lek originally from Sleheyron, a planet in Hutt Space, had been friends for years before finally giving in to the hormonal urges. They'd met when Kandon's family had fled their homeworld after the Hutts began to subjugate the population to slavery. Omeesh, a particularly vile Hutt and self-styled governor of Sleheyron, had been viciously stabbed to death by one of his slaves, Twi'lek a girl named Yuthura Ban who'd been enslaved since Omeesh had first gained power.

After their first night together, Kandon had admitted to Brejik that Yuthura was his niece, and that she'd been missing ever since Omeesh's death. Kandon had been so upset, and Brejik so uncomfortable, that he'd left his Twi'lek lover to calm himself down.

That roughly translated to Brejik finding another lover - Ashana, the lead vocalist of the Twisted Rancor Trio.

A sharp pain flared in Brejik's left cheek, jolting him out of his reverie. Ada had slapped him, almost hard enough to dislocate his jaw. Brejik simply back slapped her face, tossing her to the floor in a heap.

"Don't you ever kriffing slap me again, you disgusting piece of filth! You have no place here." He grabbed Ada's clothing from the floor, opened the door that lead from his quarters, and flung them out. He then seized Ada's hair in his right hand and dragged her out into the corridor, throwing her down roughly. "You will be put to work in the kitchens! And I shall personally see to it that every man and woman in my Swoop Gang has access to your bunk." He slammed the door on her. This wasn't the first time Brejik had literally thrown a lover out of his quarters, and nor would it be the last. Lust was a fickle creature, and Brejik was its master.

He strode over to the 'fresher door. Putting on his most lustful voice, Brejik said, "Get in here, I have some issues to sort through."

The naked body of a green Twi'lek padded through the doorway, and Brejik wrapped his arms around Kandon and smiled. Though Kandon was his most senior lieutenant, his best friend, his lover, he was no Bastila.

* * *

><p><em><em>UPPER<em> CITY, TARIS_

Aaryn opened the draw beside Sarna's bed. He caught a glimpse of light reflected from a large piece of polished plasteel. Beneath it were more pieces, and Aaryn felt his luck increase. _Perhaps all that Force-kark the Jedi keep going on about is true._ He'd only been able to gain access to the chest of draws after waiting hours for every other member of the party to leave or fall unconscious. Even Carth had succumbed to blacking out once or twice.

Heaving the armour back to their apartment - he'd left Carth at Sarna's to sleep off the alcohol - Aaryn laid it out on the table and systematically placed the pieces of plasteel in the best way Aaryn could guess the armour was worn. It didn't help that he'd never worn a full set of armour before in his life. After sorting the armour, Aaryn undressed and got into bed.

Looking to his right and out through one of the apartment's windows, Aaryn's mind wandered. Taris was in the grips of Malak's empire. But the Republic hadn't seen fit to retake the system, though naturally the Sith were keeping any and all incoming news from the Tarisian population, so it wasn't difficult for Aaryn to imagine Taris was virtually blind to the rest of the galaxy.

Fortunately, Taris produced enough foodstuffs to hold out under the Sith blockade - though it hadn't always been that way. Before the Mandalorian Wars, Tarisian lower classes had waged a civil war against the higher class in response to the nobles hoarding kelp and marine life; industrialists had converted to a new, cheaper power source for the planet after Taris had become, essentially, obsolete since shorter trade routes had been found. Without the additional income, Taris had decayed economically. And with the new power source, Taris' climate also began to decay, polluting the once-pristine oceans and destroying almost all of the kelp farms at the time.

Taris had only just begun to recover, barring the somewhat dramatic rise of humanocentrism via the Tarisian nobles, and Darth Malak had predominantly halted that progress. _The Sith Lord is nothing more than a brute. A coward._

A shadow rushing across the window jarred Aaryn from his thoughts, and he leapt up out of the bed in shock. Taking his blaster from under the pillow, Aaryn squinted his eyes and struggled to detect any presence in the darkness. "Computer, lights."

The apartment brightened as the audio-controlled computer registered his command. Aaryn took a full minute to peer around the room - nothing. The apartment was as secure as when he returned from the party, with no possible source of the shadow.

"You seem well, old friend."

Aaryn, jumping out of his skin, spun and fired several times at the precise location of the voice. The coherent bolts of laser energy hit the wall in front of him, passing through the ghostly visage of an old woman. The cowled, greying twin plaits and slightly hunched stance felt familiar to Aaryn, though he knew he'd never met the woman before in his life.

The ghostly woman's face emitted a lopsided grin. "Blasters were never effective against me in the past, why would they be so now, even after all this time?" She paused. "You don't recall me."

Her face took on a funny sort of look, as if she'd expected better of Aaryn. His face, meanwhile, had remained white as a sheet of flimsiplast. "Should I?"

The woman remained silent for a long while before answering, simply, "Perhaps."

Still pointing his blaster at the woman, Aaryn retreated and sank back onto the ruffled bed. "Who are you?"

"I made you who you are. Well, partly." She moved through the apartment, her feet seeming to touch the floor and yet not touching it, until she was facing out of the left-hand window, beside the table. "You once knew me as Kreia. I am a historian; a seer of events past, present, and future."

"Why are you here?"

"Ah, yes," she said, grinning as she slowly turned toward Aaryn. "The eponymous question. One can never truly know why one does something without due explanation.

"I taught you that."

Aaryn eyed Kreia suspiciously. "Answer me."

"Hmpf." Kreia moved toward the table, placing herself into he seat closest to the door. With a keen eye, she surveyed the Sith armour strewn out over the table top. Her fingers traced over the armour's contours, over every inch of the plasteel. "You intend subterfuge."

Aaryn nodded. "Darth Malak has control of this planet. It's the only way we can infiltrate the Undercity without being killed trying."

"Yes, I know. You are attempting to rescue the Jedi Bastila Shan."

Shock filled Aaryn's being once again. "Of course I know," Kreia said before Aaryn could do so himself. "This is a pivotal moment in galactic history. A shatterpoint. A fracture. I have felt it in the Force, young one - even from the paths I now tread, it was not hidden from me."

"You're a Jedi?" Aaryn asked. "Or are you a Sith?"

Kreia chuckled. "I am neither Jedi nor Sith, young one. The power to wield the Force does not automatically divide Force-users into precise categories; there is far too much differentiation for that to naturally occur. Instead, simply know that I am neither friend nor foe, and that one can never have too much of either." Aaryn's head violently hurt attempting to unravel the unpredictability of Kreia's word choices. "I can feel your confusion, young one. It is only natural."

"How are you doing this, Kreia? Appearing before me."

Kreia's response was hesitated, if only at first. After several seconds' rumination, Kreia answered, "It is an ancient technique in the Force, an ability that both Jedi and Sith have forgotten long ago.

"Suffice it to say that I have accumulated knowledge of many Force techniques - many even the Fallanassi have no knowledge of. This particular ability is known to the Aing-Tii as Flow-walking, enabling practitioners such as myself to view the past...and the future. It allows one to gain a broader account of events, to sift through the fact and the fiction to contemplate truth in its purest form."

Still Aaryn struggled to take all of Kreia's diatribe in. His mind just could not process it. "And you say I once knew you?"

"We met while you were smuggling weapons to Senator Haydel Goravvus on Wayland during the height of the Mandalorian Wars. I had discovered the senator's illicit dealings and was prepared to dampen them. Mandalore took control of the planet, however, and Senator Goravvus was forced to save my life."

"So you let him off."

Kreia grinned toothlessly. "The least I could do, in light of the situation. Besides, the weapons were being used to defend against the Mandalorian assault, so there was little good to be done in taking the senator into custody."

"How generous of you."

"True generosity is rare, especially coming from one such as myself." Kreia's form appeared to shift out of phase for a fraction of a second, her brown robes shimmering into and back out of nothingness. "I must take my leave of this place. Heed my warning, young one. The Force is gathering around Taris, and I fear you and your companions may not be strong enough to survive the storm to come."

And with that, Kreia simply melted into nothingness, the air around her glowing with a dim white blur for a second before finally disappearing.


	12. Chapter 11

CHAPTER ELEVEN

_GALACTIC SENATE CHAMBER HOLDING OFFICE, SENATE BUILDING, CORUSCANT_

To the general population of the Galactic Republic, the Supreme Chancellor's holding office, directly beneath the Grand Convocation Chamber, was only ever glimpsed at during HoloNet reruns of Rema Lamar's _The Life and Lies of Fiennes Tarkin_, that were repeated fortnightly. At 103 years of age, Rema - admittedly not the best of holojournalists - had been reporting on the mechanations of Republic politics for well over seven decades. Her first major job had been to document an eyewitness account of the Great Droid Uprising a few days before she turned 44. Naturally, being so good at her job, the documentary was redrafted as the bestselling docu-novel _Conflagration: An Eyewitness Account of the Great Droid Uprising_.

Literally overnight, Rema had become a galactic celebrity. Her reports were being broadcast everywhere from Bothawui and Manaan, to Rodia and N'Zoth - although the N'Zoth broadcasts had produced a full scale revolt among the Yevethans resulting in the destruction of every HoloNet transmitter in the Koornacht Cluster.

And then the Mandalorian Wars began.

Rema's boss, Nichelle Kyar, was adamant that she be sent out on assignment to the front lines. Her first wartime assignment was on Onderon. Iziz was in the first throes of invasion by Mandalore's primary fleet. Needless to say, the city didn't last long under the Mandalorian assault, leaving Rema to drop into the Iziz in disguise, making herself out to be a Mandalorian warrior, eventually securing a bolthole in the back rooms of The Latinum Mine, a local cantina owned by Pablax the Hutt

Pablax, rather fortuitously for Rema, was no friend of the Mandalorians, and by constantly bribing the drunk warriors who came too close to stumbling upon Rema's hideout the Hutt and the journalist became quite the pairing. In return, Rema kept business coming in in droves, with Iziz's non-Mandalorian citizens virtually bulging the cantina's walls to braking point. And that was how it worked for three long, terrifying, years.

The day that the Republic reentered the fray, Rema and Pablax were on a date - a karking date for Force's sake! They'd drifted past Ov Taraba, Onderon's premier university, and were about to set foot - and tail - onto Per Lakrea beach, when an astoundingly loud _boom_ cracked through the air, startling the pair of would-be lovers enough to make Rema yelp and leap into Pablax's pudgy arms. Dxun, Onderon's primary moon and would-be sister planet, was high in the sky, stretching across a vast swath of the panarama. As Rema looked on, she began to make out a rather large cloud of smoke drifing the Dxun into Onderon's own atmosphere. Eventually, a huge stretch of tropical forest became cast in flame, producing far more toxic levels of smoke to come spooling from Dxun's atmosphere.

Pablax crooned as the staccato of blasterfire drew his attention to the south east. Without so much as a warning, Ov Taraba exploded, showering durasteel and transparisteel shrapnel upon the surrounding area. A dozen Centurion-class Republic battlecruisers appeared, seeming to explode from the fireball, an escort of Foray-class blockade runners and hundreds of Aurek-class fighters screaming through the air overhead. Basilisk war droids, piloted by Mandalorian warriors, raced to meet the invaders.

"Mee dwanna go stupa!" Pablax had blurted. "U wamma wonker?"

"Me?" asked Rema, stupefied. "Why would I want to pay for this? And of course I didn't order this; the Mandalorians did."

"Kuna kee wabdah nenoleeya." Without so much as another word, Pablax literally turned on his tail and fled, his stubby arms flying around in sheer terror.

More explosions tore through Iziz, barely allowing Rema the chance to feel hurt or angry. As she watched, dazed, dozens of NR2 gully jumpers - used by the Republic navy for just shy of two decades - proceeded to spill from the ventral hangars of the battlecruisers and land at different locations in and around Iziz. One such craft descended and grounded not a hundred metres from Rema, and she sprinted toward it at full pelt. The hull parted, revealing the craft's innards, which immediately spewed white-armoured Republic troops, and robed Jedi Knights, blasters and lightsabres held at the ready.

The lead Jedi, a brunette human woman of about thirty standard years of age, held her blue blade with a grace born of years of training. Green blaster bolts sped at her; some travelling past her, missing by mere nanometres; however, more ended up being batted directly back at the entrenched Mandalorians. Other Jedi fell lifeless to the dirt three at a time, but the lead Jedi - who, Rema noticed, was sporting a bright red armband on her right bicep - simply advanced foreward, continuing to swat the Mandalorian assault back at the enemy.

Three hours later, the Republic forces had pushed the Mandalorians back deeper into Unifar Temple, the official residence of Colonel Vaklu and sanctum of Onderon's military history. The Mandalorian commandant, Mandalore the Ultimate himself, was rumoured to be awaiting the Jedi in the centre of the temple.

Within twenty minutes, the Jedi leader, flanked by nine other Knights, had made her way through the Mandalorian lines and breached the temple's main entrance.

For close to an hour, all anyone heard from the temple were sounds of blasterfire, random screams of pain, and minutes of lingering silence. Eventually, the armbanded Jedi crashed through a thirty-sixth floor window and plummeted to the concrete plaza beneath. Showing an amazing feat of Force ability, the Jedi took control over her fall and, landing on the exterior wall of the temple, literally ran down the side of the building, arriving at the ground with a triple somersault and landing in a crouch. As she sprang back to her feet, a loud bang threw everyone's heads skyward. A Basilisk sped out of the temple and raced up and out of Onderon's atmosphere.

Breathing heavily, the Jedi said, "He obviously can't take the heat."

Rema pushed her way through the crowd intent on getting a primetime interview. Upon arriving at her target, Rema took her voice recorder from her pocket and held it at waist height. "You're quite the acrobat. Where are the others who followed you in?" She activated the recorder.

The brunette woman looked Rema in the eye. "Dead. Mandalore slew them." The Jedi recalled her lightsabre, which had landed twelve feet away, to her hand via the Force. "We'll catch him. Revan and I will make sure of that."

As the Jedi began to walk away, Rema noticed her stumble and limp slightly. "Are you ok, Miss...?"

"Jedi Knight Meetra Surik. I just took a bit of a beating, is all. Nothing to concern yourself about...I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name."

"Rema. I'm a holojournalist for Kyar News Imporium. Been on location here in Iziz for the past three years." Rema held her hand out to Meetra, and the Jedi Knight shook it in greetings. "So that was actually Mandalore? You must be...what is it you say - strong in the Force - to have survived a confrontation with the Mandalorian leader when dozens of your peers have not. I once heard of several Masters that were slain by him at Geonosis."

Surik shook her head. "I'm afraid your information is incorrect, Rema. Those Masters were slaughtered by a Sith Marauder named Sion, but he was soon hunted down and defeated. Mandalore the Ultimate was busy bombing Serroco into submission at the time. Come, we must get you to a landing craft and back to Coruscant."

And so Rema followed Meetra to the closest available NR2, and together they headed up to the battlecruiser _Ravager_, the flagship of the Republic's Third Fleet. The view from the _Ravager_'s main bridge viewports allowed Rema to take in the vista of a Dxun aflame. From what she'd garnered from eavesdropping on conversations in The Latinum Mine, Rema knew that thousands upon thousands of Mandalorians resided in the dense jungles of the forest moon. Surely the Jedi wouldn't be complicit in such blatant and, quite frankly, violent genocide.

The _Ravager_ soon entered hyperspace and rocketed out of the Outer Rim and toward the Core and Coruscant. The Centurion-class battlecruiser measured approximately 1,200 metres in length, carrying a crew of nearly 31,500. The fleet's commanding officer, one Rear Admiral Saul Karath, approached Rema on the voyage home, proceeding to lightly interrogate her on her version of events during the Mandalorian occupation.

"You seem almost...unwelcome at the thought of returning to Coruscant, Ms. Rema. I assume Nichelle Kyar will be most pleased to hear of your survival."

Rema attempted a wan smile. "She would, yes, Admiral. I imagine she's rather concerned for my lack of reporting regarding the occupation."

Keeping silent, Karath stalked away from Rema, leaving her to stare into the maddening blue swirls of hyperspace.

After five hours, the _Ravager_ reversed into realspace. Rema had spent the majority of the flight in one of the battlecruiser's endless number of mess halls, and as the _Ravager_ entered into Coruscant orbit, the holojournalist headed to Jedi Surik's quarters on Deck 26. Upon hearing the customary chime at her cabin's door, Meetra invited Rema inside, and the pair sat on chairs occupying the Jedi's desk at the aft end of the cabin.

"How can I be of service, Rema?" asked Meetra, pouring two glasses of perfectly clear water.

Reaching out to take the filled glass offered, Rema answered, "As I'm sure you're aware, Jedi Surik, my cabin isn't connected to the subspace comm system."

"Ah yes," said Meetra. "Admiral Karath's insistence, unfortunately. He's rather uncertain as to your true intentions, Rema. A holojournalist, stranded on a planet during an enemy occupation for three years without so much as a scratch on her." Rema opened her mouth to rebuke Meetra's words, but the Jedi held a hand out to stop her. "I know you're no friend of the Mandalorians, Rema. Admiral Karath is not. That is all I'm saying."

After a moment of shared silence in which both women sipped from their glasses, Rema said, "Well, I'm still a journalist, with a job that hasn't been completed in quite a while. Is it asking too much to use your comm suite, Jedi Surik?"

Meetra drained her glass. "No, of course not. Go right ahead. I'm needed on the bridge, at any rate."

Rema spoke to Nichelle Kyar for almost four hours straight before being asked - courteously, or course - to attend an inpromptu gala at Kyar's home at 500 Republica that night. After schmoozing with the big brass of the Republic Senate, Rema was promoted to lead anchor of all political stories in the Galactic Republic, and she spent the time between the Mandalorian Wars and the Jedi Civil War following the fall from grace of the then-Supreme Chancellor Tol Cressa.

Cressa had been a man intent on peace. Unfortunately for him, Senator Tarkin of Eriadu had taken a rather large disliking to him and succeeded in ending his chancellorship in due course, eventually replacing the disgraced politician the day before the nightmares of Darth Revan and Darth Malak began. Chancellor Tarkin had fought back with the entire might of the Republic Navy - which was severely depleted thanks to Revan and Malak's defections to the so-called Dark Side of the Force.

Admiral Karath's defection had been a low blow to Tarkin's leadership, due to the admiral's handing over of sensitive Republic codes to the Sith, allowing Darth Malak to annihilate more than half of Bothawui's home fleet. Eventually, Karath, acting like the true bastard he was, commanded a Sith fleet that attacked Telos, destroying the planet's ecosystem and murdering millions of innocent men, women, and children. The fallout in the Senate Rotund had been almost legendary; Senator Morvis of Chandrila, a raven haired woman with a reputation like durasteel and serving her fifth term of office, almost successfully attempted to oust the Chancellor with a vote of no confidence, though Tarkin was saved only by the vote in favour by Kuati Senator Lako Naberrie.

And now, Rema Lamar was stood in the entrance to Chancellor Tarkin's private sanctum, preparing her notes for their upcoming interview. With Taris now under Malak's control, Tarkin had essentially barricaded himself inside of his office, cutting the galaxy's media out of his public and private lives - albeit temporarily. Without Kyar's influence, Rema would never have had a chance at landing an interview with the Chancellor any time soon, and Rema had been prepared for that eventuality; she'd lined up several interviews with many prominent senators: Ilex of Eriadu, Tarkin's old stomping ground; Naberrie of Kuat, the ship building capital of the Republic; Morvis of Chandrila, a peaceful planet not far from Coruscant. In light of Kyar's victory over Tarkin's ego, Rema's rival, Ejas Brunal, had willingly taken the senatorial interviews, much to Rema's chagrin.

Vice Chancellor Mikael Schooe strode out to stand directly in front of Rema, blocking her view of the Chancellor's holding office. A somewhat ghastly human being, Schooe had been elected to his title just two months prior to Chancellor Cressa's downfall. A few in the Senate firmly believed that Tarkin and Schooe had worked together to oust Cressa from his esteemed position, but most remained silent on the issue. _A_ _pity_.

"Supreme Chancellor Fiennes Tarkin will see you now," said Schooe in the flatest monotone Rema had ever heard from a human mouth. Without preamble, Rema followed obediantly, until she was facing a seated Tarkin. The Chancellor's desk was empty, conveying nothing about his personality - which was "pretty much mute, anyways" according to Admiral Dodonna. What was practically a very large, round room, the Chancellor's holding office was decorated with simple pale crimson walls and a dark ruby colour. Even the wood used to manufacture Tarkin's desk had a slightly red sheen to it, if one looked close enough.

Tarkin's grey eyes appeared to literally gaze into Rema's soul. "Rema Lamar," he said, his voice attempting warmth but utterly failing. The Chancellor indicated the seat beside Rema. "Please, have a seat."

Wanting to be as affable as possible, Rema cooperated, with a blithe smile on her lips issuing thanks to the leader of the Galactic Republic. "Chancellor Tarkin, may I take this oppotunity to offer my deepest regrets for the debacle at Taris. I understand this may become difficult for your political future."

Tarkin's smile was wiped from his face. "Rema Lamar, my political career is as healthy as it was ten years ago. I can assure you and your patrons that Taris will be taken back forthwith. I so ordered Admiral Dodonna to formulate a plan of action regaring the retaking of certain Outer Rim territories, including Taris, and I am certain the admiral will not disappoint me or the ever-faithful populace of the Galactic Republic."

"Of course, Chancellor. Please forgive me if I sounded at all...derogatory in my phrasing. Now, what are your plans concerning the Jedi Order after the culmination of the war against Darth Malak?" With the galaxy at peace once more, many people imagine the Jedi would have no place in the military."

The Chancellor steepled his fingers, as if in deepest thought. "I would have to say that I agree with those people. Thoiugh the Jedi Order has constantly been granted military rank upon declaration of war, it is a situation I believe to be in desperate need of rectification. To deny those without Force potential to become generals in our armed forces is, quite frankly, absurd. To that end, Rema Lamar, I pledge to you, now, that once I have won this war against Darth Malak and his Sith Empire, I will demand the High Council answer directly to the Senate in all situations. Does that answer your query, Rema Lamar?"

Smiling amicably, Rema replied, "Yes, Chancellor, I believe it does. Now, onto my next question..."

Rema continued asking questions and receiving answers for the next hour or so, until she gradually began to draw the interview to a close. The answers she'd received had been insightful, though certainly controversial. Tarkin had essentially proclaimed an intensely anti-Jedi stance, and deepening Rema's suspicions regarding the Chancellor's personal taste. As she exited the Senate Building and strode toward her personal airspeeder, she began to wonder whether _The Life and Lies and Fiennes Tarkin_ wasn't quite so far away from the truth.

* * *

><p>Chancellor Tarkin remained seated as he watched the famed holojournalist leave his office. He had just lied through his teeth to her, though he had to admit that the little speech he gave her - regarding the Jedi after the war's conclusion - had been the icing on the cake. "In fact," he said aloud, "I may go even farther."<p>

"Chancellor?" Schooe had remained stationary behind Tarkin's right shoulder through the duration of the interview, and had obviously heard Tarkin's rhetoric.

Tarkin didn't answer immediately, instead standing and beginning to pace the circumference of his holding office. Coming to a stop only after striding the entire office, the Chancellor finally dained to answer his senior aide. "Bring me Admiral Sommos. She and I have business to discuss."


	13. Chapter 12

I'd like to just point out that in the previous chapter, Tarkin was only elected due to the overwhelming behind-the-scenes force of the InterGalactic Banking Clan. The Senate at this point in time is akin to its descendant just prior to The Phantom Menace, also due to the IGBC's meddling - in the form of Chairman Hego Damask of Damask Holdings (a.k.a. Darth Plagueis the Wise). I've just read the novel _Darth Plagueis_, so I've got it on my mind at the moment. But, rest assured, Tarkin **will **be brought down by the end of this shindig, with Senator Tol Cressa returned to her rightful place, thus restoring the established EU chronology :) I do know what I'm doing...honest!

Also, I know there hasn't been much in the action, but that will change...at some point. It's just that the beginning of KOTOR doesn't have too much action, but I am really trying to add it in whenever I can with the extra characters.

Oh, and I have quite a disturbed mind...don't be surprised when I begin adding scenes reminiscent of obsene historical events. The Sith - and certain other cultures - are meant to be brutal, and so I will show that as much as I can - to a point.

* * *

><p><span>CHAPTER TWELVE<span>

_UPPER CITY, TARIS_

Aaryn knew that he didn't recognise her, and yet, at the same time, he did. Kreia was an amalgamation of mystery and certainty; thruth and deception. Without knowledge of who she really was, Aaryn wasn't just about to take her at her word. _But if I'm wrong about her, _he thought, _what would it mean for Taris?_

She had foretold of a 'storm' that held danger enough to spell doom upon Taris' inhabitants. But that could mean anything; from an actual surge in meteorological activity, to a direct assault by Darth Malak and the _Leviathan_. At the very least it had set Aaryn's mind racing.

He gazed down at the bed. Carth had finally returned about an hour after Kreia had disappeared, and practicially fell forward onto the somewhat comfortable piece of furniture. Aaryn frowned as he saw the dry vomit still on Carth's face, and hastily decided he would not be the one to clean the bed linen once dawn broke.

Without making enough sound to rouse Carth, Aaryn lent over and began to don the Sith uniform piece by piece. There was only one way to test its effectiveness in the field, and Aaryn was the only member of Taris' 'Republic Underground' who was not currently taking a nexu-nap. Putting the helmet on was challenge enough for him; the HUD on the inside gave Aaryn a 360 degree view of the environment around him. The heads-up display had been designed originally by the ancient Mandalorians to aid in their conquests, and had been used devastatingly during the Mandalorian Wars. Apparently, Darth Malak, who had served in the war as the Jedi Knight Alek Squinquargesimus, had had the presence of mind to adopt his former enemy's technology. Aaryn had once been lucky enough as a boy to find a Mandalorian helmet. He and his parents were visiting Herdessa, which had previously been plundered by the Mandalorians during the Great Sith War. The helmet was laid atop a large mound of soil, and Aaryn's parents had - somewhat hesitantly - allowed their son to wear the helmet for a few minutes. The HUD responded almost immediately. Sights and sounds Aaryn had never discovered prior were being sent through his nervous system, reaching his juvenile brain in such precision that it almost overwhelmed the seven year old.

Fifteen minutes later, Aaryn was walking the moonlit streets of Taris' upper levels. The first thing he noticed was how the locals kept their distance from him, even though he wasn't armed. Then it began to dawn on him; about 90% of all the locals he walked past were human, with the rare exceptions being a few Iridonians, a couple of Twi'leks, and even a Vulcan (though Aaryn only recognised the Vulcan from her pointed eyebrows; she'd grown her raven hair out below her shoulders, evidently to hide her pair of tapered ears). Even though he knew Malak's empire was humanocentric, Aaryn believed there was a deeper reason behind the blatant discrimination.

The helmet bleeped twice in Aaryn's left ear, alerting him to a message being broadcast over the suit's personal comlink. "_Thesh 2, report in._"_  
><em>

Aaryn's heart began to race. Taking a few quick breaths to steady himself, he tentatively answered, "Thesh 2 reporting in, as ordered."

"_Thesh 2, there is a disturbance on the Mewl/Ciras intersection in the Middle City. Report there immediately and respond with all necessary force. Base out._" The woman's voice vanished, leaving Aaryn's left ear ringing somewhat. In his HUD, he could see other Sith troops milling through the crowd, no doubt responding to just the same call-out. This was to be the true test of Aaryn's infiltration skills, and the ex-smuggler was determined to do it right - preferably without getting killed in a shower of blaster bolts.

As Aaryn approached the Mewl/Ciras intersection, he saw dozens of Sith troopers forming a defence perimter around a group of about thirteen aliens, all of different species - of what he made out, Aaryn saw Twi'leks, Rodians, a couple of Iridonians, and at least one Neimoidian - who was grasing a blaster in his violently shaking left hand. The group was surrounded.

Aaryn pushed his way to the front of the Sith perimeter. One of the Twi'leks, an woman with pale green skin, was snarling in Twi'leki at the being who appeared to be the Sith leader; the trooper wore the rank insignia of an Imperial commander. "Thesh 2 to leader."

The trooper turned and faced Aaryn. "_Thesh 2, eh? I've heard of you. See to it that all this alien 'schutta' is disarmed and escorted to base. For interrogation._"

Aaryn gulped. "And if they don't come quietly, Commander?"

The trooper laughed. "Then send them to the rakghouls! Like so..." The commander closed on the closest alien, a pregnant Iridonian, and sent his knee into her gut. She yelped wildly, but before her friends could help her the commander hauled her up and, dragging her by her lekku, hurled her up and over the railing seperating the public thoroughfare from oblivion. The Iridonian's scream was lost a few seconds later as she and her foetus fell to the Lower City.

A shiver travelled through the Sith ranks as the male Iridonian, clearly the woman's husband, tried and failed to avenge his beloved. The troopers opened fire on the remaining aliens as they followed the Iridonian's lead. The commander brutally pummelled the innocent man to within an inch of his death, at which point he unholstered his blaster and proceeded to use him as target practice. The screams of pain were lost to the continuing whine of the Sith commander's blaster.

On the perimeter's exterior, a throng of Tarisians had gathered to gaze upon the racist spectacle. A few were openly shocked, though the majority were simply watching; some even chanting xenophobic slurs.

"_Problem, Thesh 2?_"

Aaryn felt sick to his stomach. Bile was building in his oesophagus and threatened to spill out into his helmet. The commander had finally decided to stop firing at the charred Iridonian corpse. The abdomen had burst open from the sheer amount and pressure of energy thrown into the body, leaving entrails and superheated blood seaping from the corpse. The entire left side of the face was gone, reduced to organic slag seared onto the pavement.

"No problem, Commander."

The commander turned and strode off. "_Somebody clear this mess up,_" Aaryn heard him say as he left.

* * *

><p>Hundreds of individuals swarmed though the spaceport, determined to either enter of exit Coruscant territory. Fortunately, none were the wiser to one particular individual. Cloaked and hooded, the human man made his way past Capital Terminal's security bureau and onto a shuttle bound for the Ottega system. Without making eye contact, he passed fellow passengers throughout the shuttle's interior corridors and chose a starboard-side cabin as his temporary home. Sealing the door, the man removed his hood from his bald pate and took from his satchel an curious artifact many of the galaxy's archeologists would've prized.<p>

As Coruscant's spacescrapers retreated from the cabin's viewport, the man sat and crossed his legs. Placing the artifact on the floor directly in front of him, he closed his eyes. The man stayed this way for many hours, never opening his eyes, nor flinching whenever the shuttle hit some minor hyperspace turbulence. Even when the shuttle's orderly commed to inform the passengers of their arrival in-system the man remained motionless.

After arriving at Ottega's primary planet, known throughout the galaxy as Ithor, the cloaked man continued to reside within his cabin, though the shuttle was now empty of other passengers.

Several hours had passed, and still the man remained rooted to the spot. The shuttle's pilot and mechanic had powered-down the vessel long ago; the only light source being that of Tafanda Bay's hangar complex. The capital city of Ithor, Tafanda Bay had been designed to float above the planets' suface due to the Ithorian's zealous worshipping of their so-called 'Mother Jungle' on Ithor's surface. The cloaked man knew that to be a weakness.

_It is a weakness the Jedi exploit, and they shall pay for their crimes._

The cabin's door opened. A human male, with dark brown hair and hazel eyes, stepped into the man's cabin as the door slid closed. The newcomer was dressed in native Ruusanian costume - almost the perfect disguise for someone of his ilk.

The cloaked man, refraining from opening his eyes, said, "You may dispense with the pleasantries, Jaq. What have you brought me?"

Jaq stepped forward and, bending down, handed a slip of flismi to the man. Upon opening his eyes and reading the information printed on it, the man tore the flimsi in two.

"How many have you killed thus far?"

"Seventeen," replied Jaq. "Another two are targeted for thirty-nine hundred hours tonight, local time." A thin smile came to his face.

The man contemplated this for a while, before slowly nodding his assent to Jaq's plan. "Kill them as painfully as possible. I want the Order to know precisely what happened here. A time is soon approaching when their kind will be cast assunder by the Republic; when we will rule and the Jedi will be no more; when their precious temple will be swept away with the swing of a lightsabre. I have foreseen it."

"Always, my Lord Bandon." Jaq bowed, and left Darth Bandon to return to his meditations. _Oh, yes__,_ thought Bandon, _the Jedi shall indeed pay._


	14. Chapter 13

If anyone's got any good plotlines I can add in for either the usual characters or even my own creations in this epic undertaking, then PLLLEEAASEEEEE message me! I need ideas! Especially anything involving the journalist Rema Lamar, Chancellor Tarkin and the Senate, and Senator Cressa (who we've yet to see) - and I will use the best 5 plotlines that I receive :)

* * *

><p><span>CHAPTER THIRTEEN<span>

_The starfield was awash with destruction. Capital ships, ferociously pounding away at Mandalorian_ Kandosii_-class dreadnoughts, hung above the upper reaches of the planet's atmosphere. The Mandalorians had pulverised Duro's surface into an uninhabitable wasteland the day previous, forcing the Republic's hand and sending the fleet to engage the barbarists._

_"Sir, we've five Basilisks on our starboard bow," reported Ensign Jayk, the _Leviathan_'s helmsman. "Initiating evasive pattern Revan-Besh-Seven."_

_Satisfied with his officer's initiative under fire, the Jedi Knight Revan remained sitting upright in his command chair, using the Force to root himself there and keep from being thrown around during the battle. "Admiral, have aft turbolasers fifteen through twenty-two target those droids and fire at will."_

_"Yes, sir," replied Rear Admiral Saul Karath. "You heard him, Lieutenant."_

_Revan felt the _Leviathan_ turn as Jayk sent the warship rolling to port. The aft turbolasers flashed into deadly use, hitting their marks and more than easily destroying them without delay. An enemy dreadnought was bearing on them from directly in front, Revan saw, and he ordered his crew to head on in. "Fore and starboard shields to maximum; take power from life support if you have to. All hands," he said as he pressed a button on his chair, "Prepare to broadside."_

_The _Leviathan_ sped toward the enemy in literally no time at all. Before they were even side-by-side the enemy, whom Karath had identified as the _Dar'yaim_ (which roughly translated into Basic as 'a hell', or 'a place you want to forget'), the two capital warships opened fire. Hull breaches were kept at bay as both ships' shields flared into existence, protecting the men and women who served each army. Fighters flitted around both the _Dar'yaim_ and the _Leviathan_, like swarms of insects firing venomous barbs at each other, defending their nests from enemy assault._

_"Enemy shields failing," stated Karath. Then his eyes went wide. "So are ours."_

_Revan didn't hesitate. "So be it. We have the Force - the Mandalorians do not. Keep pounding them with everything we've got, Admiral."_

_Explosions flared over the two ships outer hulls. Revan had long ago devised a way of producing turbolaser fire that could punch through _beskar_ - Mandalorian iron - with the ease of a knife through flimsi, and this was serving the Jedi Knight's purpose now._

_The _Leviathan_ poured more and more destructive energy into the Mandalorian command ship. Fire was blazing within the interior. Though the Republic flagship wasn't faring any better, Revan had to admit. _Perhaps,_ he thought, _it's time to introduce the _Dar'yaim_ to some friends of mine._ "Admiral, contact the _Ravager_. Have General Surik come to our assistance immediately. We're sending these Mandalorians into whatever _dar'yaim_ they believe in!"_

_Revan and Karath saw the _Ravager_ turn about and head to their position, coming in through the _Dar'yaim_'s sensor blind spot. After ten seconds, Surik's personal flagship opened fire on the dreadnought. Under the combined assault, the _Dar'yaim_ began to implode; Karath commanded Jayk to take the _Leviathan_ out of combat range, before the Mandalorian dreadnought literally burst in a typhoon of fire, metal, and gas._

_The holographic representation of General Meetra Surik, Jedi Knight and one of Revan's most trusted allies, appeared on the left arm of his command chair. "You called, General."_

_Revan chuckled. "Even I'll admit that that was a close call."_

_Surik's smile came easily, and it added to her beauty. "I'll assume that was your way to thanking me. The Mandalorian lines are braking; if we push now they won't be strong enough to resist."_

_"I agree, sir," added Karath. We have a chance to turn the tide in this massacre. We all know the _Haran_ is leading this force, without their leadership the Mandalorian threat will cease."_

_Nodding his approval, Revan said, "Coordinate the push with the other commanders. I want the _Haran_ surrounded, after which we will begin boarding actions."_

_"Understood, General. May the Force be with you." Surik's image winked out._

_The _Haran_ was the Mandalorian flagship, commanded by Mandalore the Ultimate himself. The Republic had come close to capturing enemy leader in the past - first at Nazzri, then more recently at Exodeen two weeks ago. Each time, the Mandalore had evaded them, resulting in victory during both battles, and now it was time to change that. Mandalore was a monster, of that even the famed Chancellor Cressa knew._

_Six minutes later, the _Leviathan_, flanked by the _Ravager _and fifteen other Republic ships - five _Praetorian_-class frigates, three _Axehead_-class frigates, and seven _Hammerhead_-class cruisers - along with dozens of _Aurek_- and S250 _Chela_-class fighters, and a dozen _Heraklon_-class transports, was soaring toward the Mandalorian flagship and its own defence flotilla. When the two flotillas came to blows, the Mandalorian Basilisk droids charged through the Republic's fighter screen, tearing them to shreds._

_A boom resonated throughout the _Leviathan_'s bridge, hurling most of the assembled officers up and back down to the deck. Revan, still using the Force to hold himself in place in the command chair, heard several sickening cracks as bones were broken and limbs dislocated upon impact. He heard Ensign Jayk shout, "We've lost helm control! We're dead in the water; even the hyperdrive's shot!"_

_Explosion after explosion ripped through the ship. Consoles began to spew flames, the heat coming into contact with and cracking the transparisteel viewports. Karath stumbled toward his commander. Revan noticed the admiral was clutching his arm - or, rather, the stump that was left. Blood seaped through Karath's fingers. Evidently the arm was lost during the last large explosion. "General Revan!" he shouted over the background noise. "The _Testament_, __the _Champion of Iridonia_,__ and the_ Veltraa _were destroyed in that initial volley. Reports suggest Admiral Morvis is still alive along with the rest of the command crew of _Veltraa_."_

_"Morvis is a survivor," Revan commented._

_"General! Thrusters are back online," exclaimed Jayk. "Our heading, General?"_

_Revan sat back in his chair and steepled his fingers. "Transfer all power - life support, shields, everything - into thrusters, and set a collision course. Ram the _Haran_ with everything we've got."_

_"Sir?"_

_"You have your orders, Ensign." Turning to Admiral Karath, he said, "Comm the fleet, inform them of what's about to happen, and that I recommend they retreat to a safe distance. We're boarding them, Admiral, whether they like it or not."_

_The _Leviathan_ sped toward the _Haran_ on thruster power alone. The fighter screen - what was left of it - backed off several dozen kilometres, as did the remaining Republic warships._

_"Ten seconds," said Jayk._

_The Mandalorian flagship kept pouring wave after wave of turbolaser fire into the _Leviathan_'s hull; whole sections of warship were blasted off into the vacuum. Under Revan's orders, the Republic flagship locked a tractor beam onto the _Haran_, keeping the warship stationary before they collided._

_"Five seconds."_

_"All hands, brace for impact," said Revan over the ship's comm system._

_"Three seconds," Jayke continued the countdown. "Two, one."_

_A tremendous jolt, powerful enough even to throw Revan's Force-hold, threw every officer present on the bridge onto the deck with a chorus of painful yelps. Horrendous screeching - that of durasteel against _beskar_ - resounded throughout the _Leviathan_ and tearing at Revan's timpanic membranes. Another jolt, followed by another and another, hurled the _Leviathan_'s crew all over the bridge. Sparks flew from consoles; one such explosion caught a female lieutenant in the back, burning through her uniform and causing a scream to burst from her mouth in a fit of horror._

_The blasts tore through the _Leviathan_'s interior bulkheads, shearing the fore section of the warship off of the hull completely. The durasteel dug a swathe in the _beskar_ hull plating of the _Haran_, tearing into the _Kandosii_-class' bulkheads, and continuing to plough deeper. The acceleration of the _Leviathan_'s thrusters forced the _Interdictor_-class ship deeper still, cutting through crew quarters and med bays, destroying anything in its path._

_Eventually, the great warship came to a bone jarring halt. Revan, Karath, Jayk and the other bridge officers (alive and dead) were sent flying forward to hit the bridge's main viewports. Using the Force, Revan landed squarely on the helm console on his knees, lightsabre swinging from his belt. "Admiral Karath?" he asked._

_The admiral replied after a large amount of groaning. "Yes, General. I'm still here...I think."_

_"I am going to board the _Haran_. You are in command, Admiral, until my return."_

_"Thank you, sir," Karath coughed violently. "May the Force be with you."_

_Revan nodded. "You, too, Saul." And with that, he stood and sped off the bridge through the aft doorway, and into darkness..._

Aaryn woke gradually from fitful sleep. What was he dreaming about? _It seemed so real...like a memory._ But of course, it couldn't have been. Aaryn's life had never seen him on the frontlines of the Mandalorian Wars, let alone serving on the bridge of the Republic warship _Leviathan_ under the command of the then-Jedi Knight and General Revan. Though, as everyone in the known galaxy knew, the _Leviathan_ was now under the command of Darth Malak, Revan's former ally and apprentice. And it was impossible for the dream to be showing the present to Aaryn - Darth Revan was very, _very_ dead. Bastila and the Jedi had seen to that.

Admiral Karath was another individual of note. Saul Karath had served in the Republic navy under Generals Revan, Malak, and Surik, until the time when Revan and Malak had taken the fleet and disappeared into the unknown. A few months passed, and when they returned having fallen to the Dark Side, Darths Revan and Malak unleashed their newly-revamped fleet upon the Republic. Karath turned traitor and allowed Malak to bring devastation to Telos, destroying the planets' ecology and turning all life to ash. The admiral, while leaving with his new puppeteers, also left with plenty of fellow traitorous Republic officers and soldiers in his shadow.

General and Jedi Knight Meetra Surik...she was one individual that Aaryn had next to no knowledge of. Surik fought with Revan during the Mandalorian Wars, but elected to return to Coruscant and the Jedi High Council to face trial in preferance to following her fellow general into the Dark Side. After that, the galaxy - and the Council - had forgotten Surik. The Jedi obviously hadn't executed her; instead, they would've sent her into exile - or perhaps she'd exiled herself. Either way, Meetra Surik had left no footprint, no breadcrumbs for anyone to follow where she walked now.

There'd been talk of Force-using bounty hunters for millennia, of course; there was every possibility that that was Surik's fate, though Aaryn had no way of being sure of that. Without any evidence, the galaxy would just have to remain in wonder.

Aaryn's musing was interrupted by some mumbled groaning to his right. Carth, his eyes screwed up in pain, continued to groan as he brought his hands to his forehead in an attempt to rub away the inevitable hangover. He began to open his eyes, though he soon regretted that decision as the morning sunlight streamed through the window and into Carth's face. "For karking sake..." he muttered under his breath.

"Would you like a glass of water?" Aaryn asked, almost cheerfully - and perhaps a little too loud for Carth.

Carth raised his hand to ward off anymore loud noise. "That would be great, thanks, Aaryn."

Judging his stability, Aaryn stood slowly, eventually feeling stable enough to walk over the apartment's single sink. Retreiving a small glass from a cupboard, he poured a fair amount of water from the sink's faucet and handed the glass to Carth's waiting hand. The _Endar Spire_'s former commanding officer sipped from it regularly, keeping one hand rubbing circles into his forehead. "Great party, huh?" asked Aaryn.

"I couldn't say," said Carth. "Don't remember much, well - any of it, really. What happened to that woman?"

"You mean Sarna? Oh, she was frizzled the entire night." Aaryn frowned. "Do you want some anti-veisalgia tablets? You keep rubbing your head anymore, you'll set your brain on fire."

"I doubt you'll any of them in this place."

Aaryn shrugged. "Fine, suffer."

They laughed - or rather, Aaryn laughed, and Carth chuckled quietly so as not to flare his aching head.

* * *

><p><em>UPPER CITY, TARIS<em>

They strode among the local Tarisians and Sith troops in the city center. Sunlight poured through spaces between the spacescrapers, filling the duracrete streets with a golden glow. The towers, soaring to well over five kilometres into the atmosphere, created huge shadows on the upper boardwalks.

"The med centre should be on this street, according to the local maps," said Carth. "Unless we get some on the black market, it's the only place we'll find anti-veisalgia meds."

Aaryn smirked. "Are you sure we can't just leave you there? I know I'll definitely get a better night's sleep that way."

Carth gave a Aaryn a dirty look, though they both knew he was being sarcastic.

"You're certain that Sith uniform worked?" Carth asked, his voice hushed so as not to be overheard by any of the troops walking by.

"I would've been thrown over the egde of the street if it didn't, Carth. You'd rather I be in a bloody... mush... of flesh and shattered bone at the bottom of the Lower City? Wow, Commander, never knew I had that impression with you." At Carth's flustered look, Aaryn raised his arms in surrender. "Relax, I'm kriffing around."

"I've been going over the battle on the _Endar Spire_ over and over in my head since we crashed. Some things just don't add up for me. Maybe you could tell me what happened - from your perspective."

Aaryn raised an eyebrow. "It's like you said when we first met; Bastila didn't have time to use her powers."

Nodding, Carth said, "True... Bastila is as powerful as they say. She's the one who defeated Darth Revan, after all. Hmm. I guess that no Jedi ability, no matter how powerful, makes up for being completely surprised and outmatched.

"We didn't choose that battle, anyway; it got forced on us. Hell, I'm just amazed that any of us are alive, to talk about it." They turned a corner in the street. "Come to think of it, it's more than a little surprising that you happen to be here, isn't it?" Carth stopped and turned to face Aaryn. "Just what is your position with the Republic fleet, anyway?"

Aaryn shrugged. "I used to be a smuggler, if you must know. A Jedi Knight named Vima Sunrider worked with me on Mygeeto a few years back, and she saved my life. I repaid the favour by joining the Republic navy, and using my knowledge to aid our people."

Carth smiled crookedly. "A smuggler, eh?" He chuckled. "I should've guessed. Still, isn't is odd that a smuggler - who was added to the _Spire_'s crew at the last minute - just happen to be alive?"

"You'd rather I wasn't?"

"Don't be rediculous," said Carth. "You've more than proved yourself since the crash... we wouldn't have made it this far without you. But still..."

Aaryn's mind raced. _Is he accusing me...?_ "Are you implying _I_ had something to do with the battle?"

The commander shook his head. "No. Well - maybe. Don't get me wrong, it just seems odd that someone Bastila's party specifically requested to transfer aboard happened to survive."

Aaryn lost his patience. "It doesn't make any difference," he snapped. "Go ahead and be paranoid. We're here."

They entered the med centre. Owned by a Tarisian named Zelka Forn, the facility wasn't the most popular in the Upper City, though Forn had always found a way to run a good business - from what Aaryn and Carth made out from local HoloNet transmissions. The rear wall was lined with kolto tanks, while the entrance wall held three well-made beds for recovering patients. Carth began to head further in, as Forn himself - a dark-skinned human man, with dark eyes, greying black hair, and a greying moustache - walked out from his personal office. "Yes, gentlemen, how can I help you?"

* * *

><p>They left Zelka Forn to his business twenty minutes later. Carth was finally happy had been safely prescribed two anti-veisalgia tablets by the local doctor, although Aaryn was still in a foul mood after their conversation prior to entering the med centre.<p>

It took them the walk back to the apartment for him to articulate his frustration. "Are you always this suspicious?"

From the look on Carth's face, Aaryn saw the question had taken him by surprise, though he suspected there was a little trepidation, too.

"Look... it has nothing to do with you, personally. I don't trust anyone, and I have my reasons. But no, I am not going to discuss them - certainly not with someone I've only known all of five minutes. And I'm not trying to be paranoid. So can we just keep our minds on more important things?"

Aaryn stood facing the window. "I consider _this_ important."

His commander sighed as he sank into a dining chair. "You're pretty damn tenacious, you know that? We'll talk about it," he said, "but later."

* * *

><p>TAFANDA BAY<em>, ITHOR ORBIT<em>

The Jedi stumbled and she fell, her pulse already neutralised, her breathing permanently stalled. Red blood dripped from a curved blade, the weapon held in the hand of her killer. Jaq - as he was known to his associates - felt empty; killing Jedi made him feel, but only when seeing their death-look upon their face. This time, he'd killed the Jedi from behind, and her face was covered by her fair hair.

The other Jedi, flowing white locks and bright green eyes staring at Jaq, twisted into the air and used the Force to throw herself at him. Jaq simply rolled and stabbed upward with the knife, piercing the Jedi's defences and slicing through her chest. She died instantly.

Darth Bandon stepped forth, hands clapping in utter glee upon watching the spectacle. "Well done," he said. "Very well done. Almost comical, even. And you say you're not Force-sensitive?"

"No more sensitive to the Force than a drunken Bantha. I kill Jedi by forcing emotion; that way they do not sense their end coming until it is right on top of them."

Bandon smiled. "You have one more test before I take you as my personal guard. There is a a Jedi named Arren Kae. She was reported to have been killed when Revan destroyed Malachor Five. My spies tell me she lives still, and continues to train Jedi initiates, though she is long exiled from the vaunted Order. Kae was a Jedi Master, fully capable with the Force. She is the widow of the famed General Yusanis Felli, and a mother of a single daughter. Kill both.

"Oh. and I'll point out that you just killed her twin sister. Good luck, Jaq."


	15. Chapter 14

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

_UPPER CITY, TARIS_

"Anoter patrol heading down into the Lower City?" asked the armoured guard. "Good luck; I've heard it's pretty rough down there. There's a big swoop gang war going on, you know? You better watch yourselves, those gangs will take a shot at anyone - even us! It's too bad we don't have the manpower to just sweep those slums clean."

"Yeh, too bad, Lieutenant," replied Carth. He was disguised as a Lieutenant in the Sith Navy, while Aaryn was wearing the trooper armour. "Can we go down now? Or do I have to report to Admiral Karath that you're obstructing our search for the Jedi Bastila?"

"Of-of course, Lieutenant," stammered the guard as he moved away from the elevator entrance. Aaryn and Carth got in, closed the door, and selected their destination via a button pad on the elevator's interior side.

As the elevator began to descend Taris' levels, Aaryn said, "Good thing we found that Duro."

"Good thing he remembered where he put the remains," remarked Carth. "Is it me, or do you feel a chill?"

Aaryn frowned. "A chill? No. Why?"

"I'm wearing the uniform of a dead man; that's just... creepy, if you ask me."

Sighing, Aaryn asked, "How long do you think this'll take?"

Carth smiled. "Good thing I rescued my pazaak deck; what have you to bet, Mr. Savo?"

The two Republic infiltrators played hand after hand of the almost-infamous card game, until Aaryn won practically every hand and Carth lost practically all of his credits to the younger officer. The match finally ended with Aaryn wearing the largest smirk that Carth had seen on anybody. "One minute," said Aaryn.

They returned the apparel they'd removed to their bodies; Aaryn his helmet, Carth his nerfhide belt and boots. The elevator began to whine down, and Aaryn felt vibration through his feet. The doors opened.

Immediately, blaster fire singed the back of the elevator, forcing Aaryn and Carth to take cover beside the opening, blasters at the ready. Aaryn heard one of the assailants shout, "Sith aren't welcome here!"

Peering out through the door, Aaryn saw that there were three beings attacking them - one Human, and two Kadas'sa'Nikto. He shot the Human, who screamed as the blaster bolt hit the centre of his chest. The Nikto were eventually brought down by Carth's assault; one felled by a shot to the torso, and the other by having the left half of his head blasted off.

"Too bad we aren't Sith," remarked Aaryn.

They hid the bodies in the elevator, returning the cart to the Upper City. Keeping their weapons in hand, Aaryn and Carth continued on down a long corridor, passing several doors until they came to one that was well-lit and guarded by a green-skinned Rodian. "H'chu apenkee," he said. _Welcome_. "Kee hasa do blastoh." _Drop your weapons_.

"We came here for a couple drinks," said Carth. "We don't want any trouble."

"Kava doompa D'emperiolo stoopa," continued the guard. _You're low-down Imperial fools_.

"Da beesga coo palyeeya pityee bo tenya go kaka juju hoopa," Aaryn replied, much to Carth's surprise. _The last fool who called me that got his antennae stuffed down his throat_.

"Smeeleeya whao toupee upee," replied the Rodian. _Smile when you say that_. "Go on in," he said in heavily-accented Basic. The doors opened at the Rodian's command on the keypad, and the two Republic soldiers entered.

Upon being blasted by a wall of sound and smell, Aaryn deducted that they'd walked into another cantina, not wholly unlike _The Tumbling Dice_ in the Upper City. The main difference, of course, was the distinct addition of a menagerie of alien species. Here, a Nikto exchanged alcoholic beverages with an Ishi Tib; there, five Rodians dealt hands of pazaak with a couple of Rutian Twi'leks and a Dug. Interestingly, as they got toward the bar in the centre of the room, Aaryn noticed two Twi'leks and a Rodian appearing to admonish a Human man. All three of the aliens wore similar garb to that of the gang members Aaryn and Carth killed a few minutes ago.

The Human said, in a voice devoid of happiness, "Go away." He didn't even look at them; his back was turned as he was trying to enjoy a drink at the bar.

"Hey," said the Rodian in accented Basic. "You not talk like that. We just want to say 'hi' to big, bad bounty hunter Calo Nord."

One of the Twi'leks, olive-skinned with chunky lekku hanging from his bald head, frowned. "Nah... this can't be Calo Nord. He's supposed to be tough. This guy's nothing but a runt," he said, chuckling.

Calo simply said, "One."

The three gang members laughed loudly. "One? What you mean?" asked the pink-skinned Twi'lek in broken Basic between bouts of laughter. "You be funny, tough guy?"

"You know who we are, Calo?" asked the olive Twi'lek. "We're members of the Black Vulkar gang. You don't want to be getting funny with us, tough guy!"

"Two."

The pink Twi'lek, his thin lekku swung around his neck, said, "Me no understand. One? Two? Why he count?" He looked to his cohorts. "He trying to count how many of us is against him?"

The other Twi'lek turned back to Calo Nord and said, "It's three against one, Calo. What do you think about those odds?" Silence. "Well?" He asked, still more silence. "You have something more to say?"

Calo smiled into his drink. "Three."

In a split second, Aaryn and Carth watched dumbfounded as Calo launched a smoke grenade at the three Black Vulkars. Before the smoke cleared, Aaryn heard three blaster shots, followed by three screams of agony and three thumps on the floor of the cantina. The bar had become silent - even the five-piece Bith band had stopped playing their Wroonian Blues and stood watching as the smoke began to clear.

The gang was on the floor, dead. Calo was at the bar, downing the remainder of his drink. The bounty hunter placed the empty glass on the bar and strode briskly past Aaryn, only sparing him a quick glance as he went past.

As soon as the cantina's door closed behind Calo, the Bith band started playing again - this time a Wroonian classic called The Keller's Void - and the cantina's usual chatter resumed in earnest.

"Don't look so...wide-eyed."

Carth turned to Aaryn, startled. "Me, wide-eyed? Aaryn, I'm a commander in the Republic Navy; this isn't exactly the worst I've ever seen." They got to the bar. "Two jawa juices," said Carth to the Neimoidian barman. They both scanned the cantina over the tops of their drinks, looking for anything, or anyone, that could lead to information on Bastila's whereabouts.

Setting his drink on the bar, Aaryn noticed three Rodians heading toward a lone Rutian Twi'lek - he noted that she appeared around only fourteen or fifteen by Human standards. They began to converse in Huttese. The Twi'lek girl told them, in no uncertain terms, "Get out my face you sleemos!" She then strode off and settled into another part of the cantina. Aaryn went back to his drink.

"You served in the war, didn't you?" Aaryn asked Carth. "Against the Mandalorians."

Carth took a final glug of his drink. "Yes, I did. Why do ask?"

"It's just... well, you know, I only ever fought the Mandalorians in skirmishes on the Outer Rim during smuggling runs - I never fought in the war proper." He gazed at his jawa juice ponderously.

"Even by doing what seemed like small acts, you saved a lot of lives, Aaryn," said Carth. "If that's what you're on about."

Aaryn shook his head. "No, it's not that. I... what do you know about Meetra Surik?"

The commander looked Aaryn in the eye. "She was a Jedi General, second only to Revan and Malak themselves. I never met her; I was posted to a fleet in the Ottega Sector at the time. I imagine her name may have cropped up a couple times on the HoloNet." He motioned the barman over for another drink. "From what I recall, Surik was a capable commander and her troops loved her."

Taking a sip of his jawa juice, Aaryn asked, "What about Saul Karath?"

Carth seemed to visibly turn to stone at the question; his arm muscles tensed up, squeezing his newly-filled glass to breaking point.

"Carth?" asked Aaryn, becoming concerned. "Carth...?"

Aaryn's commanding officer remained frozen for several long moments as he stared into his drink. Though they'd known each other only a couple of days, the two officers had begun to become accustomed to each other's mannerisms, habits, and so on; up until now, Aaryn had not before seen Carth react in this way.

"Commander, are you ok?"

"He's a traitor, that's what he is," said Carth after a while, his voice barely a whisper. Aaryn followed his example and simply peered into his beverage.

The pair remained this way for several long, quiet moments as the Biths continued droning on with their music. Surprisingly discreet, a Wookiee strode across toward a gloomy table on Aaryn's right, taking a tray of raw meat away from the bar to consume in semi-privacy.

They'd come down into the Lower City looking for information on the escape pod - or, at the very least, leading to Bastila's present whereabouts. After that, then what? Obviously, they couldn't simply blast through the Sith blockade, even if they _had_ a ship, without the risk of Darth Malak trailing them and killing hundreds - even thousands or millions - of innocent individuals to capture the young Jedi Knight. And then even more would die, and Taris, Coruscant - and the galaxy itself - would burn.

Perhaps they could appeal to the Jedi Council; seek sanctuary until the war ended. Even Malak himself wouldn't dare to go toe-to-toe with the Masters, assuming they were willing to provide protection. _But_, thought Aaryn, _first things first_.

Aaryn looked to his left. The young Twi'lek girl was again being harassed by the same three Rodians. And she did not appear happy.

"I told you to leave me alone!" she exclaimed. "So give me some space, bug-eye. Your breath smells like bantha poodoo!"

The leader, the 'bug-eye' on the right, gave a contemptually-withered look. "Little girl should not be in bar," he said in Huttese. "This is no place for little girl. If little girl smart, she run away home now."

The Twi'lek raised her brow. "Who are you calling a little girl, _Chuba-_face?"

"Little girl needs lesson in manners?" asked the lead Rodian, his body language suggesting he was becoming aggravated.

The girl sighed wearily. "Just a sec, boys." She whistled. "Zaalbar...a little help here?" she called. "I need you to rip the legs off some insects."

Zaalbar - the Wookiee who, up to this moment, was quietly consuming his meal - replied in the gruff growls of Shyriiwook, [Mission, I'm busy. They just bought my food.]

"Quit complaining; you can finish your food later. Besides, you need the exercise, so get over here."

Six Rodian eyes suddenly widened exponentially as Zaalbar strode over from his table.

"We want no trouble with Wookiee," said the leader. "Our problem with you, little girl."

The Twi'lek - Mission, as Zaalbar had called her (Aaryn found he'd unconsciously understood most of what the Wookiee had said, though he'd never had any dealings with the furry beings in the past) - simply crossed her arms. "You got a problem with me, then you got a problem with Big Z. So unless you want to take on my furry friend, I suggest you greenies hop on out of here."

The Rodians hesitated for several long seconds. Finally, the leader said, "Little girl lucky she has big friend." They ran out of the cantina, and promptly went straight into the wall opposite the door, knocking themselves unconscious as onlookers turned their attention back to their business.

* * *

><p><em>BELKADAN, DALONBIAN SECTOR<em>

The boy fell in two pieces, his green-hued training sabre lost from his grip, his chest bisected by the shining metallic blade.

"Try telling me where she is, and next time, you'll live."

Jaq removed his sword from the ground where it lay, and looked at the teenage boy's bleeding corpse. _Jedi scum_.

He turned to his left as fallen dalloralla sticks snapped not too far away. Suddenly, Jaq felt himself thrown backward by an invisible force - the Force, he knew - and landed roughly twenty metres away from the boy's body. A young Human man - late twenties, Jaq estimated to be his age - ran through the thirty-metre tall trees and shoved the emitter of his lightsabre in Jaq's temple. "What is your purpose here, assassin?"

Jaq laughed, his mouth twisted into a visage that would've charmed any woman. "Your master. What is her name?"

The Jedi pushed his emitter harder into Jaq's temple. "You are here for Master Kae? What business do you have with her?"

Much to Jaq's delight, the Jedi screamed in pain and horror as Jaq's sword shore through his opponent's weapon arm, freeing Jaq and allowing him room to get his blade though the Jedi's abdomen. Clearly, Kae hadn't taught her students how to manage severe pain. Disappointed, Jaq kneeled over the dying Jedi.

"Try going back to school, Jedi. Maybe then you'll learn not to give your opponent information he wants."

Standing, he used his sword to slice through the Jedi's trachea and jugular, hastening his path to whatever afterlife Jedi believed in. The Jedi had just confirmed Jaq's suspicion. He'd spent several thousand credits sifting through terrabytes of data, tracing Kae's movements since the destruction of Malachor V. Before arriving on Belkadan, Jaq had travelled halfway across the galaxy; from Ithor, he'd initially headed to Muunilinst, and then on to Mygeeto. Jaq had tracked one of Kae's former students to the city of Jygat; unfortunately, Jaq was forced to kill the Jedi before she could contact the local authorities. Amid the junk piles of Raxus, he'd stumbled upon another group of Kae's students studying the planet's ecology. Again, Jaq's hand was forced.

Eventually, in a downtrodden bar in the Hapes Cluster, a mere smuggler had drunkenly told him of a Jedi training facility on the very edge of the galaxy, as well as the facility's coordinates. The smuggler died of a brain haemorrhage several minutes later, having ingested a poison in his drink. After Hapes, Jaq headed to Gizer, followed by Corsin, and up above the galactic plane before heading to the coordinates provided by the dead smuggler.

What Jaq found was a planet covered in foliage, which hadn't really surprised him. Arren Kae, typical of a Jedi, would feel right at home on a planet abundant with life - the Jedi thrived on it. The native herbivorous life forms, quadrapeds that resembled traladon, bolted whenever he came close to them; this told Jaq that they'd contact, however recent, with humanoids. That was when he'd seen the Jedi youngling and ambushed him.

The smuggler had told that he'd sold provisions to a Jedi Knight by the name of Olon Hawer, and that she - and her academy - had been eager to employ a smuggler to provide regular information and supplies. Having said yes to the deal, Hawer escorted the smuggler to the secret academy. That was her fatal mistake, though; the smuggler never wiped the navicomputer after returning to the civilised galaxy, and so the coordinates found their way into Jaq's hands.

Jaq spent the next several hours searching for clues as to the location of the entrance to the Jedi academy. He knew he was close - the youngling would never have been allowed too far from his superiors without a more experienced Knight in tow.

Pretty soon, Jaq heard rumbles of thunder off in the distance, all the while getting closer to his current location. Bright green flashes flared to life through the forest canopy, the leaves silhouetted against the cerulean lightning. Jaq's brain told him that this was a plasma storm - and a bad one, at that - a weather phenomena the smuggler had warned him about. He needed to find shelter.

Without warning, a bolt of superheated plasma struck the tree next to him, cracking the trunk, setting the leaves aflame, and hurling Jaq with the force of a hand grenade explosion. He landed on his right arm, forcing a grunt from his gut as his ulna snapped with a sickening _crack_. A sonorous howl of thunder roared overhead, reverberating throughout Jaq's body. His arm flared into pain, leaving him clenching his jaws so as not to reveal his location to any possible ambushers through screaming.

Jaq, hoping that the lightning would no longer consider him to be a target, decided to stand and try to make a run back to his ship. He got two steps forward before realising that his broken arm was bleeding profusely as another bolt of plasma energy hit the ground five metres from him, throwing him up and back to land hard on his pelvis. Through the pain, Jaq realised he'd severely underestimated Arren Kae. There was no thunderous sound of rain coming from the treetops. This storm was one borne of the Force. Only Jedi Masters and Sith Lords had this kind of power, and Jaq doubted Malak or Bandon were here.

Jedi Master Arren Kae had arrived. And she was well and truly pissed off.

* * *

><p><em>JAVYAR'S CANTINA, LOWER CITY, TARIS<em>

Mission and Zaalbar turned to face Aaryn and Carth - the only two people in the cantina who were actually watching their exchange with the Rodians. "Say, I do't recognise you and I know pretty much everyone in the Lower City," said Mission in Telosian-accented Basic. "I guess that makes me and Big Z your official welcoming commitee!"

Carth smiled. "You showed a lot of guts dealing with those Vulkars, kid. You got a name?"

"My name's Mission Vao, she replied, grabbing a quick glug of her drink. "And this big Wookiee is my best friend, Zaalbar. I'd offer to give you a tour, but the streets down here aren't safe. But if there's anything else you need..."

"So how do a Wookiee and a Twi'lek street urchin end up as best friends?" asked Aaryn.

Mission shrugged. "We just kind of fell in together, really. It ain't easy on your own here in the Lower City, and everyone's looking to push you around."

"So we noticed," said Carth. "Still...you seem like an odd pair."

Mission sat on the vacant stool next to Carth. "When I first met up with Zaalbar, it seemed like like a good match - I knew we would look out for each other. With my street smarts and his muscle, we make a great team."

Aaryn emptied his glass. "What do you know about the Lower City gangs?" he asked.

"There's only two gangs worth worrying about here in the Lower City: the Black Vulkars and the Hidden Beks. Sometimes Zaalbar and I hang out at the Bek base. The Beks are led by Gadon Thek - he's a good guy," she said, smiling to herself. "Lost his sight in a swoop bike accident a few years ago, but even blind he's a great leader - not like that traitor Brejik!" When several heads turned toward them, Mission hushed her voice. "Before he took over the Vulkars, he was a Hidden Bek. Gadon considered that ungrateful space slug his adopted son."

"Brejik - why did he leave the Hidden Beks?"

Mission leant forward. "When Gadon went blind, everyone figured he'd step down and appoint Brejik in his place. But Gadon figured Brejik wasn't ready yet; he wanted him to wait a few years. But Brejik was too impatient. He left left to join the Vulkars, and ever since he's been waging a war to wipe Gadon and his Beks from the face of Taris! This gang war in the Lower City is totally Brejik's fault. They're the ones killing everything that moves out on the streets. It's like they've gone insane.

"You know, this dive's pretty boring. No action around here...come on, Big Z, let's go."

[But I haven't finished eating!] growled Zaalbar.

"Can't you think of anything else besides your stomach for five minutes?" asked Mission, standing to shake Aaryn and Carth's hands. "Come on, we'll go see if there's anything good to eat at the Bek base."

Watching the odd pairing leave, the Republic officers turned to face one another. "Interesting girl," remarked Carth.

Aaryn raised an eyebrow. "Look, Carth, I know that Rutian Twi'leks can be quite...appealing to us men, but isn't she a little young for you?"

"Oh, shut up, Ensign," said Carth, wearing a sabacc-face. "Or I'll personally see to it you face court martial."


	16. Chapter 15

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

_BELKADAN_

"Master?"

The decades-old Jedi Master-in exile kept her eyes firmly closed, concentrating on the matter at hand. Kae was far too used to having to multitask, and constantly being asked questions to which her students should know by rights - whilst also attempting to meditate - was not the worst problem she'd ever faced. The assassin was being held in one of the academy's sparring rooms, watched over by five of Kae's more promising students - which happened to include a Wookiee. Even an assassin like this one would think twice about escaping.

Master Kae had felt his presence in the Force the moment he entered the star system. She'd expected Revan to come looking for her eventually, but both the Order and Malak had seen to him before that could happen. The assassin had come for her, of that much Kae was certain; both the Force and her own intuition told her so, and at least a couple of her students had commented upon the assassin's Force aura.

The eager young padawan who'd approached her, a Cardassian named Freo Bern, remained patiently waiting by her side, with his fingers interlinked before his body. It was said that prior to the formation of the Republic over twenty thousand years ago, the Cardassian people were an angry, vengeful race. Freo, fortunately, was quite the opposite.

"I will face him. Alone, Padawan Bern," Kae replied. She stood, flexed her muscles, and made her way through her academy.

The halls, illuminated by the flickering light of candles, were lined with stone imported from Belkadan's - Kae had named the planet after one of her previous apprentices, Bel'kaD'an - sole luna satelite, giving the academy a pale complexion. To her left and her right, as she paced the halls, doorways led to personal quarters, science labs, and leisure facilities. Kae had located the system after pouring through the gigaquads of data within the Jedi Archives prior to her abrupt departure to Malachor.

_Malachor_. When uttered, veterans tensed at the mere reminder of the ordeal - no, the bloodbath. The carnage. Kae had escaped with her late husband, Yusanis Felli, a fellow general who'd aided the Republic forces during the war, prior to the planet's destruction. Her former apprentice, Revan, had ultimately issued the order for his third-in-command, Meetra Surik, to activate the Mass Shadow Generator which sealed Malachor's fate, and the fate of the Mandalorian war effort. Hundreds upon thousands perished.

Coming to a juncture, Kae turned down the right-hand passage, and came out into sunlight. She hadn't left the academy; exterior light streamed down through panes of glass set into the jungle floor - the entire academy was subterranean. Plant root growth was managed through use of the Force, so as to halt the destruction of the walls. Kae passed a couple of padawans on her journey, both Human males. They appeared to be laughing between themselves, their hands firmly clenched in the others'. Kae didn't stop this; she instead promoted romance and family within her academy. Love was an emotion nobody - especially the Jedi - had the right to deny.

Arren Kae was exiled from the Order after the High Council were informed of her marriage to Yusanis and her then-eight year-old daughter, Brianna. She had stood her ground, accepting the punishment while vocally denouncing the beliefs of the Order - that Jedi should be allowed to marry, to have families. Dorjander Kace had attempted to argue alongside her, imploring the Council to allow her to remain. Grand Master Vandar was adamant, however. After the Vima Sunrider situation, the Council could no longer stand by and accept Jedi who disregarded the Order's core tenets. Kae handed over her lightsabre, bid Kace farewell, and left Coruscant and the known galaxy far behind.

Without a physical gesture, Kae used the Force to open the door to the assassin's temporary accommodations.

* * *

><p><em>UNDERCITY, TARIS<em>

Her breath came in shallow, ragged pants. Her arms had been broken and reset several times over, as had her legs, and her hair had been burned in random patches.

"Bastila, you really ought to stop this petty resistance," said Brejik. "I promise you this will all be over when you do."

Bastila apparently had no strength in her to vocalise a reaction; she spat at Brejik, spraying saliva and blood at his face. Brejik simply wiped it off as best he could with his hand, then backhanded Bastila hard enough to fracture her jaw. "You _will_ put a stop to this, Jedi!" he blared at her as he reached for his comlink. "Kandon, get in here."

A few moments later, Brejik's green-skinned Twi'lek lover entered the chamber, carrying a copper tray. Brejik noted Bastila's eyes turning tacitly to the objects atop the tray and quickly looking away again. He grinned.

"I will never join you," said Bastila through gritted teeth. "You know by now that torture does not work on me. I am a Jedi."

Brejik's lips thinned, and he bared his teeth. "Oh, this torture will be much worse, I assure you, Bastila." Kandon handed him a syringe containing a translucent liquid. "This, in case you didn't already know, is a little something called skirtopanol. We've been having it steamed into your cell throughout your sessions. Fortunately, I worked out that it really needs to be injected to be fully functional." Brejik took another syringe, this one filled with a yellow substance. "This one's called tritroxinate. It's supposed to be quite painful, but I have no idea about that." He motioned for Kandon, who held up a third syringe, conaining another clear liquid. "And this last one is called bremelanotide. Simply put, it's a love potion." Both he and Kandon grinned wickedly at that thought.

Brejik nodded to his right-hand man, ordering him to begin the next round of torture.

"I've heard about your vaunted Jedi techniques, Bastila. But are they powerful enough to stop these drugs from persuading you to see my point of view?"

Bastila remained stoically silent as Kandon injected a 10µl dose of skirtopanol, followed by 10µl of bremelanotide. Brejik was beginning to gain a new-found respect for the woman's strength; she may have been pronounced as the top prize in the coming swoop race, but she was his - whether she liked it or not.

* * *

><p><em>BELKADAN<em>

Jaq looked up to see a white-haired woman enter his holding area. It was the same woman who'd literally thrown him around in the forest - Arren Kae. He may not have been a _shabla_ Jedi - that was what the Mandos called them, he knew - but he could still tell when one of their kind was struggling with their emotional control.

Unfortunately, Kae had recovered from her brief lapse in the forest. _Still gonna be fun, though_.

Kae stood silent as the door closed behind her, blue eyes looking Jaq up and down as if judging his appearance. He wasn't Force-sensitive, but Jaq could still feel the Jedi trying to get into his mind. After a moment, she faltered, taking a step backward as if she'd been physically pushed. She recovered herself, and tried again. Again, Jaq repelled her. _So arrogant. They all think the rest of us are so weak-minded that we don't know how to defend ourselves. The schuttas._

"How are you doing that?" she asked him, her voice devoid of emotion.

He smiled. "Professional skill. Comes in handy when I'm taking your kind out."

"Why do you do that?"

"Do what? Blocking your kind from my mind, or killing you?"

"The latter," Kae said as she began walking slowly toward him.

Jaq laughed. "There's no point telling you if you don't already know."

The Jedi remained silent at that, either unwilling to provide an answer, or ignorant of what answer to give. She stopped as she got to where he sat, stun cuffs affixed to both his wrists and ankles. "You're going to be sorely disappointed, assassin. While we're here, in this academy, you cannot kill me."

Jaq raised an eyebrow. _Time to change tac._ "You think so, do you? Ok then...say I let you into my mind. What do you think you'll see?"

Again, Kae didn't answer. She simply closed her eyes and, to Jaq anyway, appeared to concentrate. _That's right, Jedi, go deeper. See my victims. Their faces. Hear their screams._

Without warning, the Jedi's face blanched. She'd found the particular memory Jaq'd wanted her to find. _Do you like watching me kill your sister, Jedi?_

* * *

><p><em>LOWER CITY, TARIS<em>

Having left Javyar's Catina half a standard hour ago, Carth and Aaryn had concealed themselves in a darkened nook and were consuming field rations that Carth had saved from the _Endar Spire_. Meeting Mission and Zaalbar was an eye-opener. A young teenage girl and a Wookiee, together in the lower depths of Taris' cityscape. Not exactly something you saw everyday around the galaxy. Then again, stranger things had happened. Such as Kreia contacting him through the Force. Or dreaming of a traitorous admiral and a dead Sith Lord

What really freaked Aaryn was how Kreia had even known who he was in the first place. What made him so special to the galaxy that a Jedi - well, Force user - would seek _him_ out and tell him about her... what were they, exactly? Thoughts, ruminations, personal fears? Whatever the reason, Aaryn couldn't afford to dwell on it. he had a Jedi to save, after all.

"Commander?" he began.

Carth didn't look up at him immediately, instead continuing to consume a concentrate stick. Between mouthfulls, he replied, "Yes, Ensign Savo?"

Aaryn swallowed silently in apprehension. "Commander, I wanted to apologise for earlier. You know, about bringing up Karath. I should've realised he'd be a sore subject for anyone in the Republic Navy, especially considering... especially after what he did."

Carth remained stone silent. His expression was as lifeless as the surface of Peragus II. Aaryn briefly wondered whether he'd offended his commanding officer yet again. After a couple of long moments, Carth's face became warm and he smiled - though Aaryn could see that he was only doing it to soothe the situation. "Ever train to be a diplomat during your smuggling runs, Savo? You'd make a hell of an ambassador."

"Only the most informal of training," said Aaryn. "A couple of incidents, civil wars and such; nothing too hectic."

"Nothing too hectic?" Carth repeated.

Waving a hand, Aaryn replied, "Oh, I never got involved with the Mandalorian Wars if I could help it. Obviously, they'd get in the way, every now and then, but I had a couple of Jedi friends who dealt with them if need be." Aaryn took a final mouthful of rations before helping Carth to re-pack their survival kits.

They walked through the shadows, peering into crevices and doubling back on themselves to make sure they weren't being followed by the Sith or the local swoop gangs. To Aaryn, Taris looked so alike Coruscant, they were almost clones. The spacescrapers, which almost seemed to groan from the strain of Taris' atmospheric winds, would've felt right at home on the galactic captial. Only twice had Aaryn visited Coruscant; the first time with his parents after a spice run between Ruusan and Galidraan, and the second by returning several Jedi to the Jedi Temple after a lethal ambush set by a being known only as Sion.

Rather abruptly, they came to a dead end - a locked door.

"Hey!"

Behind them, a brown-skinned Human woman, wearing a yellow and orange combat suit and carrying a longsword, came striding toward Carth and Aaryn from the direction they'd come. "You can't just walk in here! This is the Hidden Bek base. How do I know you're not Vulkar spies sent to kill Gadon?" she asked.

Aaryn stepped up to her. Her dark eyes, radiating ferocity, came up level with his chin. "We need Gadon's help," he said. "We were told to speak with him."

The woman's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "A lot of people want to go inside and speak to Gadon Thek; he's a hero of the common folk. But the days of the Hidden Bek's open door policy are long gone. Between the Sith and the Vulkar gang war, Gadon has more enemies than he used to." She new stood between the Republic officers and the locked door. "We're being careful about who we let in."

Carth took a moment to respond. "Maybe we could be allies against all those enemies, ma'am."

"Well," she replied, evidently still remaining cautious. "We do need all the help we can get. And you don't look like you're with the Vulkars or the Sith. Besides," she said, indicating her sword, "it's not like you could harm Gadon in the heart of his own base. Not with Zaerdra watching him."

"So you're going to let us in?" asked Aaryn.

The guard stepped toward the door, prised open a panel, and entered a code into the unit hidden there. "You go in and speak to Gadon if you want. Just remember to be on your best behaviour... the Hidden Beks are watching you."

* * *

><p><em>BELKADAN<em>

Arren splashed cool water over he face. The assassin remained in his holding cell until such time as she knew what to do with him. She couldn't execute him; it went against everything she stood for as a Jedi. But keeping him here on Belkadan was foolish, also; Arren would be tempted by the Dark Side of the Force, and would take matters into her own hands. It was for this reason that Jedi could never marry and raise families. _Jedi, like Padawan Bindo, have often gone out of their way in an attempt to prove this wrong, _she mused, _and they have repeatedly fallen. Why do they keep fighting the core tenet of our Order when the evidence is plain for all, Force sensitive and those not, to see?_

_My sister is dead._

Arren slammed a clenched fist into the mirror hanging above her basin, smashing through the glass and clean into the stone wall. She'd used the Force unconsciously. She pulled her hand from the damaged wall, pieces of stone lodged into her knuckles and her wrist bleeding profusely. Using the Force again, Arren stemmed the rush of blood, feeling the wounded skin pull itself together as a temporary fix.

_My sister is dead._

A well of tears threatened to erupt as Arren made her way through her quarters. She never made it out of her bedroom.

_Your sister was killed._

Arren fell onto her bed, tears flooding down her cheeks, her fraught sobs aching her trachea. She stayed that way for five hours, eventually falling asleep as day turned to night.

She was awoken by Padawan Bern, who wore an almost fearful expression. "Master Kae, the assassin has escaped."

That brought Arren back to her senses. "Escaped? How? When?"

"We found Padawan Rivera comatose in his force cage. We estimate she'd been there for twenty minutes before we found her. He'll have made it into the rainforest by now, Master"

Arren stretched out with the Force, searching for the assassin's presence. "He's here, in the temple. In the mess hall. Waiting."

Bern swallowed. "How do we play this, Master?"

_My sister is dead._

_Your sister was killed._

_He killed your sister._

"We don't," she replied. "I must face him, alone."

Arren swept from the room, leaving Padawan Bern in the darkness of her quarters.


	17. Chapter 16

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

_LOWER CITY, TARIS_

"You'll have to forgive Zaerdra," said Gadon. The leader of the Hidden Beks had met them in his base's mess hall after Zaerdra, his Twi'lek right-hand woman, had questioned and escorted them to him. She remained by Gadon's side. "Ever since Brejik and the Vulkars began this war against us, she's been a little over-zealous in her security duties. The problems with the Sith haven't helped things. Zaerdra seems to look after myself! Now, how can I help you?"

"Your lookout explained you have problems with the Sith," Carth said.

"A foreign army invades Taris, declares martial law, and locks down travel to and from the planet? You damn well bet I have a problem with that!" He took a swig of his jawa juice. "If the Sith ever moved in down here, all the swoop gangs would unite against them. We'd use hit and run guerilla tactics to pick them off... their casualties would be enormous."

Carth shook his head. "Don't fool yourself, Gadon. The Sith would never commit to that kind of operation, not under Malak's command. They'd... they'd probably do something grand and more deadly." He paused. "Like Telos."

There was an awkward silence. Carth, Aaryn, Gadon, and Zaerdra each sipped their drinks in turn as the moment lengthened. Finally, Gadon said, "But so far, the Sith have stayed out of the Lower City and our strength is wasted on this stupid gang war! I tried to explain this to Brejik, but he and his Vulkars won't listen."

Aaryn put his empty glass on the table. "We need information on those Republic escape pods that crashed in the Undercity a couple days ago."

"The escape pods?" asked Gadon. "You know, I heard the Sith have been asking around the Upper City about them as well..."

"They might be spies, Gadon!" said Zaerdra, her teeth bared and hand resting on the butt of her blaster. "They might be working for the Sith!"

Gadon placed a placating hand on her arm. "Calm down, Zaerdra. If the Sith thought we knew anything useful, they'd have a battalion of troops kicking down our door. No," he said slowly, "I think these offworlders have their own agenda."

Aaryn gave a slight smile. "Don't worry, we're not working for the Sith."

"I suppose I could tell you what I know. It's not like it could do any harm to me or my gang... but it might cause problems for the Vulkars, and that's ok in my book." Gadon returned Aaryn's smile as he spoke. "The Vulkars stripped those pods clean within hours after they landed. It's too bad we didn't get there first, considering what my spies reported the Vulkars found." Gadon stood and headed for the galley to refill his jawa juice. When he returned, he said, "A female Republic officer named Bastila survived the crash. We Beks don't believe in intergalactic slavery, but the Vulkars aren't so picky. They took her prisoner."

Carth and Aaryn looked at each other. This was potentially bad news; if she'd been captured, and her access to the Force was denied, Bastila was in serious trouble. Carth turned back to Gadon. "Bastila's a slave? What will happen to her now?"

"Normally," Gadon replied, "the Vulkars would take a captured slave and sell them for a nice profit to Davik or an offworld slaver like that Trandoshan Cahhmakt. But a Republic officer is no ordinary catch.

"She's too valuable to leave with the Vulkar scum at the base, either; Brejik's probably got your Republic friend hidden away somewhere safe until the big swoop race. You'll never find her."

* * *

><p><em>BLACK VULKAR BASE<em>

Bastila shook herself from the pervading chill. Brejik had finally allowed her to wash, though to call it a bath would be a severe overstatement. Now, she was standing in her cell, naked, her dripping hair tousled about her shoulders, shivering like an icicle on Hoth.

The door opened unexpectedly. Brejik, and his Twi'lek lieutenant, Kandon Ark, entered. Bastila noticed that Kandon was carrying an whip, making her step back and flinch unconsciously. Brejik flashed her a crooked smile. "Always leave some physical torture 'til last," said Brejik, all traces of mercy nonexistent from his voice.

* * *

><p><em>HIDDEN BEK BASE<em>

"I'm afraid your friend has become a pawn in Brejik's game to take over the Lower City," Gadon explained. "He's offered her up as the Vulkar's share of the prize in the annual swoop gang race. By putting up such a valuable prize, Brejik hopes to win the loyalty of some of the smaller gangs. Their numbers will allow him to finally destroy me and my followers."

Aaryn and Carth took a few moments to take in this new information. Carth was the one to ask the million-credit question. "So how do you propose we go about resquing Bastila, then? We can't fight all the gangs."

"The only hope you have of rescuing Bastila is to somehow win the big season opener of the swoop race," said Gadon.

Winning a swoop race? Carth was a fair pilot, Aaryn knew, but a swoop was a completely different beast than a speeding escape pod. Aaryn himself had flew swoops before, but he was only a child then - and that was very long time ago. He had no idea whether or not those piloting skills had remained. Maybe if he'd been lucky enough to have been born with the Force... but Bastila was counting on him. Commander Bastila Shan, a Jedi Knight and Aaryn's commanding officer, was counting on Ensign Aaryn Savo to pull her out of Brejik's oily grip.

"Gadon," said Aaryn, imploringly. "Can you help us with this?"

The Bek leader thought for a minute. "I might be able to help you with this, if you would be willing to help us. We both have something to gain here - and much to lose."

"What are you proposing?" asked Carth.

"The swoop race is for the Lower City gangs only. I could sponsor you as a rider for the Hidden Beks this year. If you win the race, you'll win your friend's freedom. But first you'll have to do something for me." Gadon took a breath. "My mechanics have developed an accelerator for a swoop engine. A bike with the accelerator installed can beat any other swoop out there! But the Vulkars stole the prototype from us. They plan to use it to guarantee a victory in this year's swoop race. I need you to break into their base and steal it back."

"How are we supposed to get inside the Vulkar base?"

Getting into the Vulkar base won't be easy," replied Gadon. "The front doors are locked tight. But I know someone who might be able to get you in the back way. Mission Vao."

"Mission?" Zaerdra asked suddenly. "Gadon, you can't be serious! She's just a kid - how's she supposed to help them with this?"

"Mission's explored every step of every back alley in the Lower City," said Gadon placatingly. "Plus, she knows the Undercity sewers better than anyone. If anyone can get them inside the Vulkar base, it's her."

Aaryn's eyes flicked between Gadon and Zaerdra as the two shared a rather tense moment. Finally, hesitantly, he asked, "Where can we find Mission?"

"She and her Wookiee friend Zaalbar are always looking to stir up a little excitement," replied the Bek leader. "They like to go exploring in the Undercity, despite the dangers. Your best bet is to look for her there, but you'll need some way past the Sith guard post at the elevator."

"We've got some Sith uniforms to disguise ourselves," said Aaryn.

Gadon shook his head. "A simple disguise might have worked on the Upper City guard," he said, "but the security down here is much tougher. You'll need the proper papers to get past him. Luckily," he said, smiling, "my gang ambushed one of the Sith patrols headed down to the Undercity. They never made it, and their security papers fell into my hands. Since we're working together now, I suppose I could give them to you - in exchange for your uniforms." Gadon waved down Carth's coming rebuke. "With the security papers you won't need a disguise anyway."

Carth and Aaryn looked at each other. After a moment, the commander nodded, and Aaryn gave Gadon the location where they'd stashed their uniforms.

"You won't need them with these security papers anyway. Now, is there anything else I can do for you?"

Aaryn smiled. "We'll be back when we get the prototype accelerator."

"I suggest you hurry," said Gadon. "The swoop race is coming up, and we want you to have time to practice before the race. Good luck to you."


	18. Chapter 17

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

"Oh, hey... Canderous. We didn't know you was working for Davik now."

"Yeh, we were just goofing around here. We don't want no trouble with a Mandalorian. Here's Davik's cut."

Two Black Vulkars were being harassed by a pair of mercs, one a male human, the other a male Mandalorian. The Mandalorian, a man with a rather stern face, black hair that was greying at the hairline, and wielding a heavy repeating blaster, seemed to be emitting terrified squeals from the pair of Vulkars.

_You could almost mistake them for Gamorreans_, thought Carth. He and Aaryn had been walking for a fair few hours (with half an hour spent on a pitiful lunch of yet more Republic rations) before they'd noticed the altercation between the Vulkars and the mercs, and hidden themselves behind one of the many massive bulkheads that ringed the corridors of the Lower City, hoping that the Tarisian natives would pass them by without altercation.

The Vulkars were literally shaking in their boots. One, a Rodian, handed a credit chip to Davik's agent by his shaking hand. "I knew you boys would see reason," he said, smirking. "Now get out of here."

The Vulkars ran, sprinting down the passage as if they were being chased by a hungry rancor.

"Too bad," said the Mandalorian, before sighing lightly. "I was looking forward to cracking some heads."

The agent smiled. Waving the credit chip, he said, "Maybe next time, Canderous. I better get this over to Davik. I'll call you if anyone else gets behind on payments." And he simply turned on his heel, and left.

Seemingly alone with his thoughts, the Mandalorian - Canderous - began to speak to himself. "Those Vulkars are dumber than a Coruscant granite slug! They actually think being in that pathetic gang of theirs makes them important. Gadon keeps his Hidden Beks in line, but Brejik's getting delusions of grandeur. _Ori'buyce, kih'kovid._" Canderous fingered his weapon, checking the power cell, before he himself began to walk down the passage. "If Davik's smart, he'll slap that young punk back down."

Watching Canderous disappear down the passage, Aaryn and Carth looked at each other. "No," said Carth, in reply to Aaryn's raised eyebrow. "We are not working with a Mandalorian."

* * *

><p><em>PALESIA CENTRAL COMMAND, LANNIK<em>

Admiral Dodonna hadn't slept that night. In fact, she hadn't slept since her last holocomm with the chancellor. Tarkin had incensed Dodonna, there was no doubt about it; even Marloon and the junior aides had kept a reasonably safe distance over the last few days. After another ten minutes of relentlessly tossing and turning on her bunk, Dodonna flung the covers back and, naked save for a pair of black socks, immediately headed for the caf dispenser she kept in her quarters.

Taking a sip of the steaming caf, the admiral padded over to her quarters' only window; opening the blinds, she was forced to hold her hands to her face as the bright blue morning sunlight from Lannik's star burst through the window and stung the admiral's retinas. Unfortunately, in doing so, Dodonna tipped the still-hot caf down her chest, eliciting a string of strong curses that would have made the most hardened of Mandalorians blanch.

_I suppose that's one way to make sure you're awake,_ Dodonna thought sardonically.

Quickly placing the now-empty mug on a caf table, the admiral rushed to her shower and immersed herself in a steady stream of cold water. She then toweled herself off, and returned to the sparse living area. Taking a seat on her sofa, Dodonna reached down under the sofa and brought out a portable medpac, from which she retrieved a tube of kolto salve. Beginning at her left shoulder, she applied the salve, gently working her way down to her navel.

As she began to pack away the first aid meds, the admiral's intercom began to beep. Dodonna keyed in her command code as she slipped into a gown, and the holographic image of Marloon shimmered into view atop her desk a few seconds later.

_"My apologies, Admiral, but we have a situation. Commander Beltane is requesting reinforcements. He also informs me that General Me'haas is dead."_

"Transfer my signal to the commander immediately."

Marloon bowed his head. _"Yes, Admiral."_

Dodonna's senior aide disappeared, replaced by the image of Commander Jördo Beltane. The heavily-armoured, dark-haired human carried a large scar on his face, stretching from his temple to the side of his mouth, on his right side. Sounds of bombardment and artillery fire could be heard over the comm channel. "What's the situation, Commander?" asked Dodonna.

_"Admiral, our forces are stretched thin out here,"_ replied the commander. _"The Sith began bombarding our positions an hour ago, and the general-"_

Dodonna raised her hand, cutting him off. "I know about General Me'haas. How would you estimate your losses, Commander?"

_"Latest reports from the runners indicate five thousand killed, with sixty-seven hundred casualties. We cannot take anymore of this, Admiral."_ A large explosion ripped through the ground directly behind Beltane, showering the commander in dirt and soil. The audio systems transmitted the last moments of several screaming infantry, forcing Dodonna to momentarily turn down the volume.

"Commander," said Dodonna. "Hold your position for as long as you can. You'll have reinforcements within the hour. Dodonna out."

Beltane's holographic form shimmered out of existence, leaving Dodonna alone once more.

* * *

><p>Dodonna entered the command center to a rush of motion, non-coms buzzing back and forth between the men and women stationed at computer displays around the perimeter of the room. Taking it all in, the admiral strode over to the central holoprojector, where Jedi General Vima Sunrider was directing an assault on the Sith's shipyards on the opposite side of Lannik. Sunrider, a Jedi Master with flame-red hair worn down to the small of her back and blue eyes the colour of ice, had been a part of Dodonna's fleet since the beginning of the Jedi Civil War, commanding the Republic's forces when Dodonna was indisposed or off-duty. Coming to a stop at Sunrider's right shoulder, the admiral said, "Report."<p>

The Jedi Master inclined her head toward the holoprojector. "As per your instructions, Admiral, we have five brigades moving in to supplement Commander Beltane's position. Two brigades are moving into position in order to rout the Sith forces from behind. Admiral Telettoh is in orbit at the given coordinates and is awaiting further orders." She paused as a non-com handed her a flimsi printout. "Thank you, yeoman."

Noticing the slight frown on Sunrider's face, Dodonna asked, "What is it, Vima?"

Sunrider replied hesitantly, "The Jedi Temple has been attacked. A Dark Jedi infiltrated the Archives and stole a holocron. Unfortunately, he's vanished."

"Any casualties?"

Sunrider nodded grimly. "Jedi Druorr was killed in the Council Chambers. Apprentices Gallar Styles and M'Tas-Lioe were killed in the Room of a Thousand Fountains. Masters Kavar and Atris were injured during the attack, but there're both expected to make full recoveries." She gazed down at the holoprojector.

Dodonna moved closer to the Jedi Master, so as not to be overheard. "Vima, if you wish to return to Coruscant..."

After a moment of silence, Sunrider shook her head. "No, Forn, I'll be fine. The thief will be apprehended in time; I feel it in the Force. For now," she said, directing Dodonna's attention to the holoprojector, "let us return to the job in hand."

"Very well." Dodonna now raised her voice so as to be heard over the cacophony of the command center. "Mister Antilles, signal the _Testament_. Have Admiral Telettoh open fire at the specified coordinates."

"Aye, Admiral!" came the reply.

"Inform Commander Beltane of imminent orbital bombardment," ordered Sunrider. "We don't want his men getting caught in friendly fire."

"Aye, General!"

* * *

><p><em>GALACTIC SENATE CHAMBER HOLDING OFFICE, SENATE BUILDING, CORUSCANT<em>

"Master Lamar, I am afraid I find your lack of foresight disturbing."

Exasperated, Vrook replied, "Chancellor-"

Chancellor Tarkin slammed his hand down onto his desk as he stood, fury igniting his eyes. "Not good enough! I don't think you realise the implications of this debacle, Master Jedi. A Sith has landed - infiltrated upon - the galactic capital, the heart of the Republic, and launched an attack inside the temple of the very beings who are charged with the defence of the Republic. Not only did this Sith steal what is potentially a very valuable artifact, but he was also seemingly allowed to escape unharmed! So while this planet's security forces are scouring the streets building-by-building, and closing the staceports to all incoming and outgoing traffic, you - the sole representative of the Jedi Order in this escapade - sit here in my office and explain this preposterous turn of events as a, and I quote, _cloak of shadow being lowered across the Orders' ability to view the Force_." He sighed heavily. "You expect me to accept that as an explanation?"

The holding office remained silent as Tarkin stared red-faced at Vrook. Eventually, the chancellor found his seat behind the desk; only then did he notice that he'd left a slight dent in the red-tinged wood, the fist-sized indentation drawing his gaze away from the Jedi Master. Vrook, meanwhile, simply continued to sit with his hands clenched and held to his chin, his legs crossed at the knee, his lightsabre barely visible under the brown robes.

Stifling a grin, Tarkin thought to himself. _Of course the Jedi are finding it hard to see through the Force. The Sith - and, consequently, the Dark Side - are everywhere. They are legion. Even the vaunted Jedi Order will bow to their presence. Malak's been corrupting Jedi to his cause, and that apprentice of his... from what Lamar's told me, he's got flair._

The silence was only broken by the beeping of the chancellor's intercom. Tarkin fingered a button on his desk, bringing up the holoimage of Vice Chancellor Schooe. "Yes, Mikael?"

_"Chancellor, Admiral Dodonna reports that she has begun a planetary bombardment of Lannik. The Sith forces in the system appear to be collapsing."_

Tarkin nodded. "Very good. Inform the admiral that I expect an after-action report as soon as she is able."

Schooe bowed. _"Yes, Your Excellency."_

Schooe vanished from the desk, leaving Tarkin and Vrook alone once more. "Well, Master Lamar, it seems Admiral Dodonna has the job well in hand."

"As does Master Sunrider," added Vrook.

The chancellor smiled tightly. "Yes, of course." Using the keypad on his desk, Tarkin called up a set of data on the screen behind him, over his right shoulder. "Now, Master Lamar, allow me to bring your attention back to closer locales." He indicated the lower left-hand quarter of the screen. "There have been reports of uprisings on Allanteen and Circarpous."

"Peacekeeping forces have been sent to aid the anti-Sith elements in those systems," Vrook stated, his hands remaining clenched, save for both forefingers being held together. "Trust in the Force, Chancellor, and we shall soon see those systems back in the Republic's fold."

_Hypocrite._ Smiling, Tarkin replied, "I'm heartened to hear you say that, Master Lamar." Clearing his throat, he continued. "The Taris situation, however, will not be so easy to rectify. Latest reports indicate that Malak is reinforcing his position in the system. Within days he may be in ready to make a push for Ralltiir."

"What do you propose, Chancellor? Even with the addition of the Jedi, the Republic only has so many ships in so many fleets, while Malak is continually swelling his forces." Vrook gazed warily at the chancellor. "Our resources are not infinite, Chancellor. If we cannot halt Malak's march, this Republic will fall."

Tarkin pondered the question for a moment. "We pull our forces to Vulta. If the so-called Dark Lord wishes to skip merrily down the Hydian, then he shall face a wall the likes of which he shall never recover from."


	19. Chapter 18

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

_UNDERCITY, TARIS_

"Go on, you two! Get out of here!"

The two beggars who had immediately beset Carth and Aaryn as they'd exited from the elevator that they'd ridden from the Lower City ran off, scared. The guard stationed at the elevator, a Sith Trooper adorned in full uniform, had allowed them to pass after Aaryn flashed him the security papers Gadon had given them.

_If only there weren't so blaster cannons behind that guard,_ Carth thought. _Perhaps the Sith could start branching out into pacification. Huh. Imagine that - a nice Darth Malak... _Carth grinned at the thought.

"I'm sorry about that," said the human woman who'd scared the beggars off. "Those two beggars give everyone in the village a bad name! We aren't all like that, you know. Most of us are good people." As she spoke, the woman's dark brunette hair caught the light from the fires burning in the distance. She had full lips, a thin, reedy neck, and dark blue eyes the colour of the deep Manaan ocean.

Carth smiled kindly at her. "I'm sure you are, miss. It's just too bad you're little welcoming committee is there to give people a bad first impression."

Holding out his hand, Aaryn introduced himself. "My name is Shaleena... you're from the upworld, aren't you?" she said in return. "I've... I've never seen it. I was born here in the Undercity." Shaleena hesitated. "Is it as nice as they say up there?"

Aaryn flashed his own smile. "The surface is a beautiful place, Shaleena."

"I've never been to the surface, but sometimes I think I can see it in my dreams. The sun, the sky, the stars... it all sounds so... so... so wonderful!"

Shaleena led the two officers through the village as she continued to speak, telling them about Gendar (the leader of their village), about the village's oldest resident - Rukil - and a story about something she called the Promised Land. Aaryn asked if she'd seen any other upworlders passing through the village, to which Shaleena replied that there had. Apparently, a large group of upworlders wearing shiny armour had marched through, not bothering to answer any questions as they passed.

About half a mile from the elevator, they passed an enclosure filled with humans. Some looked unwell, though the majority appeared to be healthy. Carth pointed it out to Shaleena.

"The villagers infected with the rakghoul disease are quarantined beyond that gate," she said. "It;s only a matter of time until they transform into horrible creatures that would destroy us all."

Carth stopped suddenly. "So you just lock them away in a cage?"

Shaleena sighed heavily. "For the sake of the village, we _have_ to keep the infected ones locked away. And when they finally transform into rakghouls, we'll let them destroy each other."

"There must be something someone can do!"

Their inadvertent guide shook her head. "Nothing can be done for the infected villagers. Even the serum to counteract the rakghoul disease wouldn't be any use now. Nobody would be foolish enough to risk going into the pens to give them the cure." As she said this, two of the infected villagers, a man and a woman - their eyes streaming with fresh red blood - began to writhe in pain. A few seconds later their entire bodies began to transform; their arms elongated; their fingers amalgamated into three long claws; the hair on their heads began to grow and fall out in patches.

The raw stench was immeasurable.

Their skin began to turn from the healthy flesh colour to a metallic-grey, and bone could be heard splintering as their bloodied eyes were shifted to the very sides of their heads. Their mouths widened to an impossibly-inhuman width, and their teeth fell to the ground as newer, sharper predatory teeth grew out from their gums.

"The infected ones could transform into rakghouls and attack them at any moment."

Almost on cue, the newly-transformed rakghouls immediately set about annihilating the other occupants of the enclosure. Claw scraped loudly against bone as the victims screamed out in horrific terror. The blood seeped though beneath the gate, adding another layer to the already-thick stains on the ground.

Carth and Aaryn turned away from the carnage, unable to stop themselves retching and vomiting. _This is definitely not the best start to the day, _thought Aaryn.

* * *

><p><em>BELKADAN<em>

Arren Kae walked away from the lavatory. Wiping the spittle and leftover vomit from her mouth and chin, Kae let a slow sigh escape her. The very thought of the assassin murdering her sister threatened to drive her back to heaving over the lavatory bowl. She'd barely stopped herself from retching in the presence of her apprentices, but as soon as she'd left Bern Kae's insides twisted.

Yet still, the assassin waited.

Her sister's killer was waiting for her to come to him.

Hesitating only to finish cleaning her face, Kae pulled her lightsabre from her belt and began her silent journey to the academy's mess hall.

The walk took just under four minutes. In that time, Kae passed students who'd yet to evacuate the levels surrounding the mess hall. She passed empty room after empty room, her steps echoing throughout the long stone corridor.

At long last Kae stopped before the door. Her heart barely beat in her breast.

She turned the door handle, and entered.

The mess hall was empty of students. Chairs and stools had been upended during the rush to evacuate. Pots and pans of food in the kitchen area were beginning to boil over. But the assassin was nowhere to be seen.

_No... to my left. The shadows part, revealing the assassin to plain sight._

A smile crept onto Kae's weathered face. Using the Force, she slipped her lightsabre from her hand and let it fall until it was half an inch from the tiled floor. At that point, Kae sent her weapon flying silently along the floor until it swept toward the assassin's hiding place. Through the Force, she ignited her blade.

The problem was that Kae saw no being standing within the shadow. The celadon hue of her blade cut through the darkness, yet adding more shadow to the surrounding area.

"You are clever, assassin," Kae said to the room.

A voice replied from nowhere. "Thank you, Master Kae." A pause. "I see you've come alone."

"As you knew I would." Kae called her weapon back to her hand. She kept it ignited, however. "I'm aquiver to know the identity of the man who killed my sister."

A cold laugh preceded the response. "Jaq. My name is Jaq."

And in that moment of his divulgence, Kae felt him. She felt his location, she felt his spirit, and most importantly of all... she felt the flicker of the Force within him.

"Why so silent, oh great Master?"

Was it a feint, a deception? A plan to force her to lower her defences if she felt any form of pity for him? Was it possible for him - a mere assassin - to have kept his Force-sensitivity secret from a fully-trained Master of the Order? "You really should keep in mind, assassin, that it is unwise to lower your defences." And with that, Kae hurled her blade toward Jaq. The assassin had hid in the waste disposal system, and Kae's celadon blade carved through the plasteel like a knife through butter, causing a loud yelp issuing from the disposal piping.

A second later, blaster bolts flew from the still-molten opening of the disposal chute, forcing Kae to sidestep to her right and hide herself behind one of the mess hall's many stone pillars. Without waiting for another volley of blasterfire, Kae used the Force to hurl three of the boiling pots of food toward the disposal chute. The blasterfire immediately halted.

Not hesitating, Master Kae called her lightsabre back to her hand and held it in a defensive posture, ready for another volley. But no blasterfire came.

Not from the disposal chute, at any rate.

Blaster bolts came at her from all angles; her lightsabre twirled in her hands as Kae spun through the air in order to dodge the incoming fire. Landing to the left of the mess hall entrance, she intercepted a particular set of blaster bolts and deflected them toward the location of another blaster at the back of the mess hall. Moments later, that blaster exploded in a small ball of flame.

For ten minutes Kae continued with the tactic; taking out one blaster at a time, sometimes two or more in order to speed the process. Only once did she need to call on the Force for energy, and only once was she hit by a stray blaster bolt.

"You sweating yet, Jedi?"

"Not quite yet, assassin."

A slight pause. "Good."


	20. Chapter 19

CHAPTER NINETEEN

__PALESIA CENTRAL COMMAND, LANNIK__

Admiral Dodonna turned her attention to the holoprojector once more. The orbital bombardment had ended three hours ago, and the holoproj showed that the Sith forces were in retreat. Reports had come in telling how the Sith dropships had been annihilated in the bombardment, and the enemy's commanders had decided to commit suicide rather than surrender to the Republic or return to a displeased Darth Malak.

The volume in the command center had dropped to a hush since the end of the bombardment. Master Sunrider was studying flimsi printouts inside the communications hub with Lieutenant Antilles, while the comm began to buzz from an incoming call. "Admiral Dodonna-"

"Patch it to the holoproj, Lieutenant. This might be something we'll all want to hear."

Antilles hesitated for a split second. "Aye, ma'am."

The blue forms on the holoproj shifted as the holographic communication was routed. Dodonna had been expecting this call for a while now, and she adamant about receiving it in the presence of her subordinates. The holographic images merged to form a large human man. With a bald pate, and a fearsome physical frame, the man was an imposing figure.

Not least because of the cybernetic lower jaw.

"_Admiral Dodonna, I presume._"

She nodded. "You presume correct, Darth Malak."

"_It appears that you have forced my armies into retreat, Admiral._"

"Again," replied Dodonna. "You are correct. Your powers of observation are most astute, Lord Malak."

"_You flatter me, Admiral._" The holographic Malak placed his hands behind his back. "_I would, however, be most interested to know if you are intent on rescuing Taris from my clutches._" Had he a mouth, Dodonna would've sworn that he was grinning at that moment.

"Believe me, Lord Malak, the chancellor is fully aware of the Tarisian occupation. As is the Jedi Council. Rest assured, we will be retaking the planet - just as we've retaken Lannik."

Malak hesitated slightly. "_You may want to take a look at your sensors, Admiral. Rest assured, you will not have been retaken Lannik without a price._"

Dodonna turned silently to the sensor station. "Nothing, Admiral," reported Master Sunrider, who'd moved to the station during the admiral's conversation with Malak. Dodonna allowed a slow breath to escape her mouth. _Thank heavens. If Malak was sending a fleet, who was to know how how large that fleet would be..._

"Wait... Admiral, we have incoming."

"How many, Vima?"

Now it was Sunrider's turn to hesitate. "Fifty ships, Admiral. The fleet is entering orbit."

Dodonna turned vehemently back to Malak's holographic form, only to see that the Sith Lord was laughing. "Forgive me for being dense, Darth Malak, but I didn't assume this was a laughing matter."

"_I'm laughing because you fail to realise just how far I am willing to go in order to get what I want._" He turned to someone out of the holoprojector's range. "_Have Admiral Varko begin bombardment forthwith._"

Dodonna spun toward Antilles. "Cut the transmission!" Malak's laughing image winked out of existence. "What's the status of the shield generators?"

"Non-operational, Admiral."

"How long until they _are_ operational, Lieutenant?"

Antilles gulped audibly. "Too long."

The command centre became silent as a tomb, the occupants awaiting their end stoically.

* * *

><p><em>OUTCAST VILLAGE, TARIS<em>

Aaryn awoke to screaming. Gazing around, he saw Carth standing by the entrance to their tent, watching whatever commotion was unfolding.

The two of them had managed a couple of hours' sleep after the horrendous episode in the quarantine yard. Shaleena had introduced them to Gendar during their brief tour of the Outcasts' village, and the leader had allowed Aaryn and Carth to shelter for as long as they required. The tent they'd been given was located directly opposite the village's main exit - right where the screaming was coming from.

Holstering his blaster, Aaryn stood and walked toward his commanding officer. Only then did words approach Aaryn's ears:

"Hurry, Hendar, hurry! I can hear it coming!"

Aaryn and Carth both stepped outside of the tent, watching as a bearded man hobbled toward the metal gate - in front of which stood the gatekeeper (Shaleena had pointed out that his name was Trewin), and a woman. Apparently this woman was the primary source of the frantic screaming. "He'll never make it!" shouted Trewin. "He's doomed... Argh! I told him he was a fool to leave the village!"

The woman turned to Trewin in disgust. "He _will_ make it; run, Hendar, run!"_  
><em>

"Open the gate - quickly!" yelled Hendar, his hand clutching the left side of his torso. "There isn't much time!"

Trewin hesitated. "I... I can't - the rakghouls are too close!"

The woman was becoming hysterical now. "The mutants will kill him if you don't open the gate!"

"And if I open the gate, they will kill us all."

"No!" screamed the woman, tears streaming from her eyes. "You can't do this - it isn't fair!"

Just then, the woman looked toward Aaryn and Carth, and her eyes widened with renewed hope. "Please," she implored, "make him open the gate. Hendar will _die_ if he doesn't!"

"I can't open the gate," Trewin said, also looking to the republic officers. "Not while the rakghouls are so near."

* * *

><p><em><em>PALESIA CENTRAL COMMAND, LANNIK<em>_

The silence was deafening. Every soul within the command centre stared at their screens, fear of their imminent deaths palpable on their blanched faces. That fear had finally began to empathically erode Vima's psionic defences, ultimately threatening to push the Jedi Master into catatonia.

And then Hell fell upon them.

The sound of a huge explosion, more deafening than the previous silence, tore through the north wall, hurling Republic officers in all directions - some landing on computer consoles, others landing unceremoniously on other officers. The single duracrete column supporting the ceiling buckled under the continuous Sith barrage, threatening to bury the surviving officers alive. Sparks flew from the consoles as officers - including Admiral Dodonna - attempted to assay the situation around the planet.

Before Vima could shout a warning to Dodonna, the ceiling collapsed under the strain of turbolaser fire just as the primary power cut-out. Several of the surviving men and women inside the powerless and lightless command centre yelled as the ceramic tiles and durasteel framework plunged down through the granular air.

* * *

><p>Vima opened her eyes gingerly. Silence filled her ears. Darkness filled her sight. A dull ache throbbed up her body, emanating from her left leg, and she felt liquid warmth on her head - possibility of a head wound. Otherwise, Vima was unhurt.<p>

She reached out with the Force in search of other survivors. Dodonna she felt in an instant; though faint, the admiral's presence in the Force was unmistakable. Stretching out, the Master felt at least nine other Force presences, each one gradually diminishing. She had to facilitate an escape, and soon, if any of them were to survive.

She couldn't, of course, use the Force to lift the collapsed material off of herself; the shifting weight could further exacerbate the situation, and could very well kill the other survivors. There was, however some other technique she could use; using the Force, Vima slipped into a meditative state, and controlled the flow of oxygen in her immediate vicinity. That was the easy part.

Under normal circumstances, breath control could be used to hold a single lungful of air for about an hour - it was even rumoured that Master Vrook had once been forced to hold a single breath for at least a day while on a mission on Manaan - but like Vrook, it could be used for an extended period under the most pressing of circumstances. Nonetheless, the solution running through Vima's mind was nothing if not drastic; she didn't even know if she had the sheer power to pull it off in the first place.

Vima first visualised herself in Dodonna's position, the through the Force, reached out and created a bubble of oxygen around the admiral's body. Feeling that she wasn't going to burn out from the sheer Force power pouring through her cells, Vima expanded her reach to the remaining nine officers, repeating the process time and time again until all the survivors were within individual cocoons bound by the Force.

The only thing to do now was await rescue. How long that would take - even the Force held no clue. And so Vim Sunrider was left to ponder the possibility of aid in the calignosity of the command centre's ruins - one of many such ruins all over the surface of Lannik.

* * *

><p><em>OUTCAST VILLAGE, TARIS<em>

Aaryn was quick to make his decision. Trewin made his surprise plain for all to see. "You would risk your life for a stranger?" he asked, momentarily taken aback. "You are brave, up-worlder. I will open the gate for you, but you've got to be quick. In a few seconds I must close and lock it again."

The heavy metal gate opened as Trewin operated the levers, allowing Aaryn and Carth to rush through as the drew their blasters. Hendar ran through the closing gate, leaving the pair to bring the rakghoul down alone. The hideous mutated beast came at them, claws primed for vivisection.


	21. Chapter 20

CHAPTER TWENTY

The rakghoul, a silvery-grey butchering-machine of a predator, came at them with speed. Both Aaryn and Carth ducked down behind large pieces of duracrete that had fallen from the canopy above, no doubt victims of centuries of natural decay. Blasterfire flew from their weapons, pockmarking the beast with angry red energy bolts.

It took several dozen hits to bring the rakghoul to the ground; Aaryn's blaster was nearly out of gas by the time it was dead. A silence leaden with echoes filled Aaryn's ears. He and Carth looked around, on the lookout for more mutants. There were none.

The gate to the Outcasts' village opened as Hendar, Hester, and Trewin ushered the pair back through. Just as the gate closed again, Aaryn saw a blue blur race through; a Twi'lek - the young Twi'lek girl from Javyar's Cantina, Mission, by the looks of it - stopped running before she ran through Aaryn and Carth's temporary bedsit, breathing hard from the exertion.

"Please, you have to help me!" Mission implored after gulping down several lungfuls of air, crouching down on the ground from exhaustion. "Nobody else is going to help me - even the Beks won't help me. But I can't just leave him there; he's my friend! You'll help me won't you?"

Aaryn crouched beside the young girl. "Slow down, Mission. What's wrong?"

"It's Zaalbar. He's in trouble - big trouble!" She stood suddenly. "We have to help him. If we don't, they'll sell him into slavery!"

"Calm down, Mission," Aaryn said, placing his hand gently on her shoulder. "Take a deep breath and tell me what happened."

Mission did as she was told, then continued. "Me... me and Zaalbar were just wondering around here in the Undercity. Ya' know, looking for stuff we could find, just kind of exploring; we do it all the time."

Carth knelt down beside the two of them. "I guess with a Wookiee at your side you've got to figure you can handle the odd rakghoul attack."

Mission shook her head. "Only this time, they were waiting for us. Gamorrean slave hunters. We didn't even have a chance to run. Big Z threw himself at them, and he roared for me to run! I... I... I took off!" A tear started to creep from the corner of her eye. "I figured Zaalbar would be right behind me. But there were too many of them - he couldn't get away. They're going to sell him to a slaver - I just know it!"

"Mission," said Aaryn. "Listen to me, ok? Do you know where they took him?"

She shook her head. "I don't know for sure, but those Gamorreans like to hang out in the sewers. The stink reminds them of home, I guess. That's probably where they took Big Z."

"If we can help you get Zaalbar back, Mission, can you get us inside the Vulkar base?" Carth asked.

Mission nodded fervently, her lekku swinging back and forth. "It's a deal. As soon as we get Big Z back, I'll show you a way into that Vulkar base! Now, come on; we have to find Zaalbar before they sell him to slavers - or worse!"

"Well," said Aaryn. "How's about we get a few hours' rest first? Start out fresh."

* * *

><p><em>BELKADAN<em>

Kae's blade cut a swathe of celadon light through the corridors as she pursued the assassin - Jaq, he'd called himself - around the innards of her academy. Jaq had evaded her attack in the mess hall; escaping through the disposal chute to the level below, he'd proceeded to race the labyrinth of corridors in the substructure of the building.

These sub-levels were deserted of students; they'd sensed Jaq's Force potential, as well as his prowess with a weapon, and had wisely decided to remain in the dormitories until such time as Kae returned to release them from their self-imposed quarantine. The mere fact that he'd led Kae into the sub-levels was bad enough; however, that didn't mean to say that an assassin knew the layout of the academy any better than the Jedi Master herself did.

Far from it.

She proceeded down the barely-lit corridor. Doors - made from the wood of trees felled in Belkadan's jungles - lined both walls, spaced equally apart every few metres. The corridor eventually led to the stellar cartography room, though only Kae's retinal print could break the seal on the lock. The room was otherwise out of bounds to the students. It had been that way since Kae had brought her first students to the remote planet; the academy itself was built within the ruins of an ancient stone temple. Older than anything discovered on Yavin IV, the temple had contained obelisks, statues... even ancient technology and droids. The droid defences had been overcome, but not without some difficulty on Kae's part.

The stellar cartography room - or rather, chamber - was located directly below the room Kae had chosen as her personal quarters. Inside the chamber was a single piece of archaic technology; a pyramidal shape that opened as Kae had approached upon her first investigative survey. Three dark grey arms had unfurled to the ground, revealing a spherical projector orb that floated up until it rested in the centre of the construct. A holographic representation of the galaxy then appeared from this orb, allowing Kae to begin to plumb the secrets of the temple and the beings who had originally built it.

Years later, she had yet to even find out the name of the builders, other than the term The Builders, which had been used by several of the droids - who, curiously, had all spoken in an ancient dialect of the Selkath language.

A shadow to her right drew her sight. Extending her perceptions, Kae encountered what she could only describe as a... nothingness. A hole in the Force; like a single Hutt among a thousand humans, it immediately drew her attention. She smiled. _His camouflaging skills are impressive, though sorely in need of practice._

Suddenly, a blaster bolt struck her left shoulder from behind, startling Kae out of her thoughts and forcing her to turn to face this new threat, lightsabre prepared to strike.

_What...?_ Jaq was there, pointing his blaster at her, a smug smirk creasing his otherwise handsome face. It was clear he had been behind her. So what was causing the hole in the Force?

"Distracted, Jedi?"

"Not in the least, assassin. My sister died at your hands, just as you shall die at mine. All shall be equal; all shall be in balance." She raised her blade...

...and then a pain like no other flared through her abdomen.

* * *

><p>Jaq was about to deliver another assault of blasterfire to the Jedi raised her blade and suddenly... she stopped. A short, shocked gasp escaped her lungs. Her eyes, which had been studying his face up to this moment, were staring up blankly at the ceiling. A spear-like staff had pierced through her stomach; red blood was pooling around the Jedi's feet. Then he saw it.<p>

There was another pair of feet behind the Jedi.

The staff was ripped from the Kae's body, letting her fall limply to the ground. The humanoid being who remained stood at above six foot in height. Its' ears were both tapered point, and the eyes were black as obsidian. Strings of long, greasy black hair hung from the things' head, and cranial ridges lined the forehead, as did several black tattoos. There was no nose; where the cartilage and nostrils were usually seen on humans, only an empty space remained. It was covered from neck to toe in some kind of gray-black armour plating. The spear, now that Jaq could take a closer look at it, was - to his astonishment - alive. Where there should have been a bladed tip, there was instead a living head. The rest of the spear - or rather body - was writhing gently within the alien's grasp.

The alien snarled as it launched the strange snake-like creature at Jaq. He ducked quickly back inside the room he had originally hid, barely escaping the set of fangs that soared through where his head had just been. It landed with a thud onto the ancient stone floor.

"_Khapet_!"

The alien's voice, a low, guttural bark that set Jaq's teeth on edge, echoed down the corridor. The serpent-weapon was readying itself to strike again at Jaq, its' body coiling to spring. Jaq aimed his blaster at the thing and fired; the energy bolts were simply deflected by the thing's hide and sent caroming into the walls and ceiling.

There was no sense staying here - after all, the job was done with. The Jedi, Arren Kae, was dead. There was no conceivable way for Jaq to bring down this new foe. He drew a short blade and hurled it at the creature, before turning and sprinting back down the corridor. He didn't linger long enough to watch the knife splinter upon impact with the creature's hide.

"_D__o-ro'ik vong pratte_!" Until now the alien had remained still, but now proceeded to give chase as soon as Jaq had left the confines of his hiding place, retrieving the creature it used as a weapon.

Jaq reached the door to the main staircase; the alien threw the serpentine-creature - now shaped like a spear once again - which barely missed Jaq's left hand on the door frame. Almost fearing for his life now, Jaq sprinted up the stairs three at a time. Without the ability to Force-sprint, he knew he was at a distinct disadvantage against this mysterious assailant; it was either flee, or die.

Jaq could hear the alien giving chase behind him, the footsteps light as the being flew through the academy's corridors. There was an open doorway coming up on the left, and Jaq took it, almost slipping as he turned sharply. Immediately, he ran headlong into a dazed Twi'lek apprentice; the pair fell to the stone floor as the alien appeared in the doorway, it's face an ugly sneer. The strange weapon flew from it's hand, fangs primed to sink into Jaq's flesh. Random thoughts began to enter his mind as he saw his imminent death draw nigh.

A yellow flash shocked Jaq's mind out of its stupor; the apprentice had reflexively activated her lightsabre and blocked the weapon's strike. Amazingly, the serpent hadn't been decapitated; it was immediately readying itself for another attack. The Jedi turned to Jaq. "Stay behind me."

Jaq raised an eyebrow. "Whatever you say," he replied.

The serpent struck, jaws flared open wide. The Jedi pivoted to her left, bringing her golden blade up in line with where her chest had been, and the serpent hit the blade with a piercing rending sound, like nails across sandpaper. Again, the thing landed and didn't seem to even be fazed by the energy blade. _It's as if it's made from Mandalorian armour,_ Jaq thought.

"_D__o-ro'ik vong pratte_!" the alien shouted again.

"I'm sorry," said the Jedi, her lightsabre raised in a defensive stance. "We don't understand you."

The alien hesitated momentarily, before rushing at the Jedi woman. The lightsabre flashed and sizzled as it struck the alien's amour, the Jedi spinning to her right as she leapt up into the air to evade an attack from the serpentine-creature held in the alien's grip. Without warning, the alien kicked out backward with his left leg, connecting with the Jedi's solar plexus and eliciting a harsh grunt from her. She landed hard against the corridor's wall, hissing in pain as she struck it. The serpent flew at her then, fangs bared. Apparently calling on the Force, the Jedi thrust her free hand forward as if to push the oncoming serpent away.

The serpent had other ideas.

Even Jaq let out a brief sigh of pain at seeing the serpent's fangs sink into the Jedi's flesh. Red blood leeched out in rivulets from the puncture wounds as the Jedi attempted to lever the serpent's jaws off her arm, with little success.

The alien proceeded to round on the injured Knight, it's own fangs bared threateningly. For some unknown reason - against even his better nature - Jaq found his arm raising to take aim with his blaster at the back of the alien's head. It was almost as if his body had been possessed; he hated Jedi, even those who had saved his life, so why was he returning the favour?

A red energy bolt flared from the blaster barrel and struck the alien square in the back of the head. Or at least Jaq thought it had. A part of the alien's armour plating had somehow raised to protect it's top flank, almost by reflex (_don't tell me that armour's a living being, too...?_), from which a little grey smoke was rising. The shot had the positive effect of gaining the alien's attention, however, and as Jaq began pouring blaster bolts into the alien's armour in a vain attempt to forestall his coming demise, the alien seemed to close the distance between them in seconds.

A flash of searing light caught Jaq's eye when he was within ten metres of death; the Jedi, still bleeding, had used the Force to hurl her lightsabre at the alien's back like a pike, the blade held by the Jedi's mystical control. Black smoke rose from the impact site. Clearly, the Jedi's plan was to melt through the armour and force the blade through the alien's gut.

It took the alien a few moments to take notice of the assault. The serpent, however, had upped it's own assault on the Jedi's flesh, and was busying itself with biting at her again and again and again, oftentimes pulling free cloth and flesh. And still she kept her yellow blade melting through the alien's armour, black acrid smoke still emanating from the assault.

Jaq triangulated his own fire, targeting one area of the armour specifically. More smoke rose, and soon enough that section of armour began to literally crack under the combined assault of blaster and lightsabre. This invariably seemed to enrage the alien still further, whose face took on one of the tightest scowls Jaq had ever lived to see. Suddenly, Jaq changed tac, and took the chance to fire right at that ugly scowl.

The Jedi's lightsabre struck the alien's internal anatomy at the exact moment Jaq's energy bolts burnt a hole through it's nasal cavity. The alien fell to the tiled floor with naught but a dull thud at impact. Silence reigned. Then Jaq remembered about the serpent-creature.

He caught sight of it bearing down on him from above, fangs bared and dripping with the Jedi's blood.


	22. Author Notes (updated)

**Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic Notes**

I thought it might be nice to include this, just to let people catch a breather and keep up-to-date with the characters and planets that I've used/mentioned so far.

As for the terms that I've smuggled into the Star Wars universe (Ferengi, Cardassian, Alpha Quadrant, etc.), I am also a massive Star Trek fan! However, I shall endeavour to weed-out these Trek monstrosities and put them right :) if people so wish! Though there won't be any major characters that are species from Trek, only background characters.

* * *

><p><strong><span>Characters in KOTOR I: Genesis (as of 3956 BBY):<span>**

**Ada**  
>Human. Slave who resides within the Black Vulkar base on Taris.<p>

**Lieutenant Antilles**  
>Human. Officer in the Republic Navy. Served under Admiral Forn Dodonna during the Battle of Lannik.<p>

**Kandon Ark**  
>Twi'lek. Second-in-command of the Black Vulkar swoop gang on Taris.<p>

**Ashana**  
>Human. Lead vocalist of the Twisted Rancor Trio, a group local to Taris.<p>

**Jedi Master Atris**  
>Human. Jedi Council member. Jedi historian. Knocked out during Darth Bandon's raid of the Jedi Temple.<p>

**Yuthura Ban**  
>Twi'lek. Fomer slave of Omeesh the Hutt on Sleheyron, until she killed him and fled.<p>

**Darth Bandon  
><strong>Human. Sith Apprentice to Darth Malak. On Malak's orders, infiltrated the Jedi Temple on Coruscant in order to retrieve a Jedi holocron.

**Commander Jördo Beltane  
><strong>Human. Officer in the Republic Armed Forces. Served under Admiral Forn Dodonna during the Battle of Lannik.

**Jedi Padawan Freo Bern  
><strong>Cardassian. Student of Jedi Master Arren Kae on Belkadan.

**Jedi Jolee Bindo**  
>Human. Jedi who left the Order before he finished his training. Crash-landed on Kashyyyk 15 years ago.<p>

**Brejik**  
>Human. Sadistic leader of the Black Vulkar swoop gang on Taris. Captured and personally tortured the Jedi Knight Bastila Shan after the destruction of the <em>Endar Spire<em>.

**Vice Admiral Tiran Cede**  
>Human. Commander of the Coruscant Home Fleet during the closing weeks of the Jedi Civil War.<p>

**Jedi Master Chitt**  
>Toydarian. Jedi Council member. The only Toydarian to join the ranks of the Jedi.<p>

**Senator Tol Cressa**  
>Togruta. Former Supreme Chancellor of the Galactic Republic. Since being forced out of office by Senator Fiennes Tarkin in 3956 BBY, he has been working to clear his besmirched reputation.<p>

**Admiral Forn Dodonna  
><strong>Human. Supreme Commander of the Republic fleet. Along with Jedi Master Vima Sunrider, led the Battle of Lannik to a Republic victory.

**Jedi Master Prilka Doj**  
>Geonosian. Jedi Council member. The only Geonosian to join the ranks of the Jedi, and one of the few Geonosians to leave the homeworld.<p>

****Jedi Master** Dorak**  
>Human. Jedi Council member. Jedi historian. Usually travels to the Jedi Enclave on Dantooine to aid in the training of new Jedi Apprentices.<p>

**Jedi Knight Fel Druorr**  
>Rodian. Killed by Darth Bandon during the Sith's raid upon the Jedi Temple.<p>

**Jedi Master Zez-Kai Ell**  
>Human. Jedi Council member.<p>

**General Yusanis Felli**  
>Echani. Married to the Jedi Master Arren Kae after it was revealed they had engaged in an illicit affair. Fathered Brianna, the Last of the Handmaidens. Killed during the Jedi Civil War after challenging the Sith Lord Darth Revan.<p>

**Zelka Forn**  
>Human. Medical practitioner and owner of a med center in the Upper City on Taris.<p>

**Hendar**  
>Human. Member of the Outcasts, he lives in the Undercity on Taris. In a relationship with Hester.<p>

**Hester**  
>Human. Member of the Outcasts, she lives in the Undercity on Taris. In a relationship with Hendar.<p>

**HK-47**  
>Assassin Droid. Built by Darth Revan at the beginning of the Jedi Civil War.<p>

**Lieutenant Hobii**  
>Human. Member of the <em>Hammerhead<em>-class _Indomitable_'s crew, serving under Admiral Dodonna during the capture of Darth Revan.

**Ixgil**  
>Duros. Killed in an altercation by a Sith lieutenant on Taris.<p>

**Ensign Jayk  
><strong>Human. Former helmsman of the Star Destroyer _Leviathan_ during the Battle of Duro.

**Jedi Knight Yu'la Juhani**  
>Cathar. Briefly fell to the Dark Side after attacking her former master, Quatra, but was redeemed by Revan on Dantooine.<p>

**Jedi Master Dorjander Kace**  
>Human. Fought alongside Jedi Knight Revan during the Mandalorian Wars. Attempted to defend Jedi Master Arren Kae prior to her exile from the Order by the Jedi Council.<p>

**Jedi Master Arren Kae**  
>Human. Former Jedi Master of Jedi Knight Revan before the outbreak of the Mandalorian Wars. Exiled from the Order after it came to light she was married to General Yusanis Felli or Echani and borne a daughter, Brianna. Contrary to historical records - which indicate Kae was killed during the Battle of Malachor V - took several dozen loyalist Jedi Knights and Apprentices and left known space to begin her own Jedi Academy on the previously-unknown Outer Rim planet of Belkadan. Killed by an unknown assailant at the Belkadan Academy during Atton Rand's separate mission to assassinate her.<p>

**Davik Kang**  
>Human. Crime lord based out of Taris.<p>

**Admiral Saul Karath**  
>Human. Senior Commander of the Sith fleet, second only to Darth Malak and Darth Bandon. Formerly commanded the Star Destroyer <em>Ravager<em> during the Mandalorian Wars.

**Jedi Master Kavar**  
>Human. Jedi Council member.<p>

**Nichelle Kyar**  
>Human. CEO of Kyar News Emporium.<p>

**Rema Lamar**  
>Human. HoloNet journalist. Mother of Jedi Master Vrook Lamar, though the two have never during Vrook's career as a Jedi.<p>

**Jedi Grand Master Vrook Lamar**  
>Human. Jedi Council member, and Grand Master of the Jedi Order.<p>

**Jedi Master Zhar Lestin**  
>Twi'lek. Jedi Council member. One of many masters to have trained Revan.<p>

**Darth Malak  
><strong>Human & cyborg. Dark Lord of the Sith. Former apprentice of Revan, and master of Darth Bandon. Leads the Sith war effort against the Republic from the bridge of the Star Destroyer _Leviathan_. Continually searching for the Jedi Knight Bastila Shan, in hopes of turning her to the Dark Side.

**Mandalore the Ultimate**  
>Taung Mandalorian. Leader of the Mandalorians during the Mandalorian Wars. Led the occupation of Onderon until his forces were driven off by Meetra Surik. Killed by Revan during the Battle of Malachor V.<p>

**Colonel Hiyax Meru**  
>Human. Republic pilot. Saw action during the capture of Darth Revan. Currently stationed on Coruscant.<p>

**Admiral Dallan Morvis**  
>Human. Promoted from the rank of captain during his tenure as CO of the <em>Veltraa<em>. Later gained command of the _Inexpugnable_-class _Diligence_.

**Jedi Apprentice M'Tas-Lioe**  
>Kel Dor. Killed during Darth Bandon's raid of the Jedi Temple.<p>

**Calo Nord**  
>Human. Bounty hunter, currently working for the crime lord Davik Kang on Taris.<p>

**Commander Carth Onasi**  
>Human. Commanding officer of the <em>Hammerhead<em>-class _Endar Spire_. Forced to abandon ship after the _Endar Spire_ suffered catastrophic damage. Became a widower when Admiral Saul Karath betrayed the Republic by attacking Telos. His son, Dustil, is missing - believed dead.

**Canderous Ordo**  
>Human Mandalorian. Saw action during the Mandalorian Wars, he is currently working as a mercenary for the crime lord Davik Kang on Taris.<p>

**Oshta**  
>Ferengi. Patron of the <em>Tumbling Dice<em> cantina on Taris.

**Pablax the Hutt**  
>Hutt. Owner of <em>The Latinum Mine<em> cantina on Onderon. Sheltered the holojournalist Rema Lamar during the Mandalorian occupation of Onderon.

**Jedi Master Quatra**  
>Mon Calamari. Former master of Jedi Knight Yu'la Juhani.<p>

****Atton Rand**  
><strong>Human. Force-sensitive assassin secretly working for Darth Bandon. Sent to kill Jedi Master Arren Kae (after killing her sister) on Belkadan, but was subsequently captured. Later escaped, and aided in the fight against an unknown alien infiltrator. Does not know that he is sensitive to the Force. Often goes by the name 'Jaq.'

**Jedi Knight Revan**  
>Human. Formerly Darth Revan, master of Darth Malak. Captured by the Jedi, and had his memory wiped. His identity was changed to that of Ensign Aaryn Savo, who served about the <em>Hammerhead<em>-class _Endar Spire_, before the ship was destroyed by Darth Malak's forces over Taris.

**Jedi Padawan Rivera**  
>Human. Student of Jedi Master Arren Kae on Belkadan. Knocked unconscious by Atton Rand during his escape from Kae's academy.<p>

**Sarna**  
>Human. Sith officer stationed on Taris. Invited Commander Carth Onasi and Revan to a party, from which to two Republic officers stole some Sith uniforms.<p>

**Mikael Schooe**  
>Human. Vice Chancellor of the Galactic Republic, alongside the other vice chancellor, Hreeda Tan.<p>

**Shaleena**  
>Human. A member of the Outcasts, she lives in the Undercity on Taris.<p>

**Jedi Knight Bastila Shan**  
>Human. Former apprentice of Jedi Master Emiq Thop. Saw action in the Battle of Lannik, and the capture of Darth Revan.<p>

**Helena Shan**  
>Human. Mother of Jedi Knight Bastila Shan. Currently living on Tatooine, she is dying.<p>

**Admiral Noma Sommos**  
>Previously served in the Outer Rim during the Mandalorian Wars. Gravely wounded during the Taris Siege in 3963 BBY, but recovered at a field hospital on Wayland.<p>

**Jedi Apprentice Gallar Styles**  
>Human. Killed during Darth Bandon during his raid of the Jedi Temple.<p>

**Jedi Master Vima Sunrider**  
>Human. Daughter of former Jedi Grand Master Nomi Sunrider. Serves as a general in the Republic forces during the Jedi Civil War, alongside Admiral Forn Dodonna. Along with Admiral Dodonna, led the Republic victory during the Battle of Lannik.<p>

**Jedi Knight Meetra Surik**  
>Human. Former commander of the Star Destroyer <em>Ravager<em> during the Battle of Duro. Exiled by the Jedi Council after returning to Coruscant to face judgment. Current status unknown.

**T3-M4**  
>Utility droid.<p>

**Hreeda Tan**  
>Rodian. Vice Chancellor of the Galactic Republic, alongside the other vice chancellor, Mikael Schooe.<p>

**Fiennes Tarkin**  
>Human. Supreme Chancellor of the Galactic Republic. Former senator of Eriadu, he deposed the then-Chancellor Tol Cressa the day before the beginning of the Jedi Civil War.<p>

**Gadon Thek**  
>Human &amp; cyborg. Leader of the Hidden Bek swoop gang on Taris.<p>

**Jedi Master Emiq Thop**  
>Human. Master of Bastila Shan. Killed during the early stages of the Battle of Lannik, when a stray blaster bolt hit him in the head.<p>

**Jedi Master Tiimah**  
>Zabrak. Jedi Council member.<p>

**Jedi Master Vandar Tokare**  
>Unknown species. Jedi Council member.<p>

**Jedi Knight Fawra Tore**  
>Human. Former apprentice of Jedi Master Kreia. Knighted at the Jedi Enclave on Dantooine.<p>

**Darth Traya**  
>Human. Formerly Jedi Master Kreia. Former master of Revan, Meetra Surik, and Fawra Tore. Exiled from the Order, she abhors the Force, journeying across the galaxy in order to find a way to deafen the galaxy to its' call. She is also searching for her former apprentice Revan. She knows about Revan's capture and the fact that the Jedi Council wiped his memory and 'reprogrammed' his mind. During her journeying, Kreia has learnt many rare Force skills, such as Shatterpoint, and Flow-walking.<p>

**Trewin**  
>Human. A member of the Outcasts, he lives in the Undercity on Taris. Serves as gatekeeper in the Outcast Village.<p>

**Ensign Trask Ulgo**  
>Human. Killed aboard the <em>Endar Spire <em>by Darth Bandon.

**Colonel Vaklu**  
>Human. Second-in-command of the Onderonian militia. Resides in the Unifar Temple, Iziz. Due for promotion when his commanding officer retires.<p>

**Mission Vao**  
>Twi'lek. Best friend of fellow Hidden Bek Zaalbar.<p>

**Jedi Master Lonna Vash**  
>Human. Jedi Council member.<p>

**Jedi Master Veryte**  
>Human Mandalorian. Jedi Council member. One of the few Mandalorians to join the Order.<p>

**Nakia Yoru**  
>Anzat. Hired by Brejik to torture Jedi Knight Bastila Shan during her captivity on Taris.<p>

**Kebla Yurt**  
>Human. Shop-keeper on Taris.<p>

**Zaalbar**  
>Wookiee. Best friend of fellow Hidden Bek Mission Vao.<p>

**Zaerdea**  
>Twi'lek. Second-in-command of the Hidden Bek swoop gang on Taris.<p>

**Marloon Zher**  
>Human. Aide to Admiral Forn Dodonna.<p>

**Places in KOTOR I: Genesis (as of 3956 BBY):**

**Belkadan  
><strong>Jungle planet on the fringes of known space. Site of a Jedi Academy, run by Jedi Master Arren Kae.

**Coruscant  
><strong>Capital planet of the Galactic Republic. Site of the Jedi Temple, and Galactic Senate.

**Dantooine  
><strong>Site of a hidden Jedi Enclave.

**Duro  
><strong>Site of a battle during the Mandalorian Wars.

**Kashyyyk  
><strong>Homeworld of the Wookiees. Currently under the control of Czerka Corporation.

**Korriban**  
>Homeworld of the Sith Empire. Site of the Sith Academy, which was set-up by Darth Revan at the beginning of the Jedi Civil War.<p>

**Lannik  
><strong>Homeworld of the Lannik. Site of a long, drawn-out battle during the Jedi Civil War. Eventually liberated by Admiral Forn Dodonna and Jedi Master Vima Sunrider immediately after Darth Malak's bombardment of Taris.

**Lehon**  
>Homeworld of the Rakata, and the Infinite Empire. Once visited by Darth Revan and Darth Malak directly prior to the beginning of the Jedi Civil War in 3956 BBY<p>

_**Leviathan  
><strong>_Star Destroyer, and flagship of Darth Revan, until the former Sith Lord's defeat. Destroyed by Darth Malak during the Battle of Dolucar.

_**Leviathan II**_  
>Star Destroyer, and flagship of Darth Malak.<p>

**Onderon  
><strong>Sight of one of the Mandalorians' first attacks against the Republic. Liberated by Admiral Saul Karath and Jedi General Meetra Surik three years later.

**Taris  
><strong>Ecumenopolis, and site of the Jedi Tower incident during the Mandalorian Wars. Currently undergoing a series of negative social changes.

**Tatooine  
><strong>Desert planet on the Outer Rim. Currently owned by the Hutts.


	23. Chapter 21

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE

TARISIAN SEWERS

"Big Z's my family, you know? My parents... well, I guess they're dead. It was just me on my own until the day I saw Zaalbar in the Lower City. I could tell right away he was in trouble."

Mission had been recalling to Aaryn and Carth about how she'd first met the Wookiee Zaalbar. They'd spent the better part of the last hour crawling through access shafts and down ladders (that in Aaryn's opinion had seen better days), only to find themselves caught waist-deep in sewage. The sewerage pipe they followed led to another, and another, until the trio finally came to the main flow pipe. This then led them to one of several broad access shafts that were placed throughout the sewerage system, all the while finding evidence of Gamorreans, as well as rakghoul infestation.

"Who'd want to pick a fight with a Wookiee," asked Aaryn, unbelieving.

Mission shrugged. "Hey, nobody said the Vulkars were smart. But there were three of them, so maybe they figured they could handle him... I don't know. Anyway, I don't like Vulkars at the best of times, and when I saw them picking on this poor Wookiee - all alone on a strange planet, overwhelmed by the big city - I just lost it. I screamed out, 'leave him alone, you core-slimes!' and charged right at them. One of them saw me coming and slapped me so hard he just about knocked me cold."

"You're lucky he didn't fry you with a blaster," Carth said over his shoulder.

"Hey," replied Mission hotly. "I don't need a lecture from you. You ain't my father! I knew what I was doing. Those Vulkars didn't scare me; they're nothing but cowards. Big Z let out this howl and yanked that Vulkar a metre up off the ground and held him there by his throat."

Aaryn's interest was piqued. "What did the other two Vulkars do?"

"Oh, they screamed and ran. Can't say I blame them." As they rounded a corner, they were forced to traverse around a large mound of fatty deposit. "The first time you see an angry Wookiee up close isn't a pretty sight. I thought Zaalbar was going to rip that punk's arms off and beat him to death with his own fists. The Vulkar was so scared he fainted. Or maybe Big Z's breath just knocked him out. I keep telling Zaalbar to brush those choppers of his, but he never listens. Just stay upwind when he's speaking and you'll be fine."

She stopped talking suddenly. Strange scratching sounds could be heard from beyond the intersection to their right. Keeping silent, all three raised their blasters, ready to pour blasterfire into the body of whatever came into their sights. As the creatures - whatever they were - went past the intersection, their sounds ebbed away, though continuing to echo through the unknowable darkness of their tunnel.

Returning her blaster to its holster, Mission continued, quietly this time. "Anyway, I knew those Vulkars would be back with friends, so I grabbed Zaalbar and we took off. Ever since then, we've been a team; we look out for each other, you know?"

They kept moving forth down the tunnel. Dripping - maybe rain water, perhaps waste - wept from above, seeming almost malefic in their relentless march toward a dank oblivion. "How did you survive before you met Zaalbar?" Aaryn asked, hopeful he wouldn't upset the adolescent Twi'lek.

Mission stopped walking suddenly, her visage one of impetuousness. "What's that supposed to mean?" she said through semi-clenched teeth. "You think I can't take care of myself? I've got street smarts! I know how to get by on my own! In fact," she added, "I look out for Zaalbar more than he looks out for me, you know?" Mission appeared to calm now somewhat, beginning to walk forward once again. "Big Z's a little too gullible to make it alone on the mean streets of the Lower City."

"How did Zaalbar end up on Taris?"

"He was fleeing some kind of trouble back on Kashyyyk." She shrugged. "That's all I know, really. Big Z doesn't like to talk about it. In case you didn't notice, he's the strong-silent type. Doesn't matter to me, though; I accept him for what he is, not what he was. Me and Zaalbar like to live in the present."

Carth put a hand out to silence them. The commander pointed with his blaster - he hadn't holstered it earlier - to discarded heating unit in a chamber off to the left. Grey in colour, it was essentially an oblong that had been hit several times until it had been broken beyond repair. "Still warm," Carth said, bringing his free hand away from the unit. He looked over at the open hatchway on the other side of the chamber. "Let's go. Eyes open, and keep quiet."

They began down the tunnel. The lighting units on the ceiling were out of operation, so Carth and Aaryn were forced to use flashlights that the commander brought out of his jacket pocket; attached to their wrists, the flashlights illuminated the tunnel like a full moon on a clear Alderaanian night.

Mission broke the silence by whispering in Aaryn's ear. "It's like I used to say to my brother - fast talk and slick words don't get the job done."

"I didn't know you had a brother," Aaryn replied, also whispering.

"My brother's a touchy subject, you know? It just so happens I don't really feel like talking about him right now. Nothing personal, you know?"

A red blaster bolt singed into the wall directly over Mission's right shoulder, forcing a small yelp from the young Twi'lek's mouth as she dropped into a crouch. Aaryn's eyes probed the tunnel for the source of the attack. Nothing stood out, even in the artificial light from his wrist. Porcine grunts pierced the silence, giving the trio the ability to zero-in on their attackers' location - Gamorreans, judging from the sounds.

Aaryn could see Mission digging around in one of the pockets on her form-fitting grey gilet. After a few seconds she pulled out a small spherical object. Arming the grenade, Mission stood and threw it in the approximate direction of the Gamorreans. "Down!" she shouted.

The grenade landed behind a bulkhead in the tunnel about two hundred metres ahead of them. As the Gamorreans began to turn and run from the explosive, the grenade went off. Bright light lit Aaryn's eyes even from where he laid prone against the grating of the tunnel's floor; the sound of the explosion ripping through the constituent atoms of the air, the tunnel, and the Gamorreans reached his ears a second later. Vibrations emanated from the blast radius, keeping the trio pinned to the ground lest they stumble over again just as soon as they stood up.

Vibrations continued to echo down the tunnel in both directions, and doubtless above and below. Carth, Aaryn, and Mission slowly stood after a few seconds, certain the Gamorreans were gone, yet unwilling to test the proverbial waters too soon.

Commander Onasi looked at Mission agape. "Don't suppose you're willing to tell us where exactly you got hold of a thermal detonator?"

"Not particularly."

They focused their flashlights toward the blast site. The grating on the floor and ceiling had been melted away, and what was left was twisted and blackened. The one door in the blast radius, metallic-grey and to Aaryn's right, had been blown inward; the electronic locks were showering hot sparks into the air every so often.

Several Gamorrean grunts were coming from behind that door.

"Relax boys," said Mission as she brought out another grenade, this time baton-shaped. "I got this." And she armed the grenade and threw it at the door. Instead of exploding violently, it simply landed and let out a spray of chemicals. "Now give it about ten seconds."

Aaryn and Carth waited the suggested amount of time, watching the chemicals coat the door, as well as the surrounding area, and begin to freeze, covering the surfaces in a thickening layer of cold.

Mission looked at the Republic officers like they'd just forgotten how to chew. "Well blast it, then."

Aaryn and Carth shot at the frozen door, blasting it back into the chamber beyond in large pieces that hit the Gamorreans behind, squeals perforating the din of the falling debris. Mission sighted with her own blaster and commenced firing at any of the porcine slavers that hadn't been knocked unconscious, and both Carth and Aaryn joined with her, mowing down their enemies in short order.

Suddenly Aaryn saw a huge Gamorrean, baring an axe the porcine aliens called an Arg'garok, running right at him from the corner of his eye. Aaryn rolled, avoiding the Gamorrean by less than an inch. As the hulking being ran headlong into the wall, Mission and Carth brought their blasters to bear on him - at least they'd assumed it was a 'he' - and felled him with ease. The body slumped to the grated floor, twitching first once then twice, before finally being still.

Mission holstered her blaster and gazed around the debris-strewn chamber. There were two more doors leading out of the chamber - one had the usual electronic lock; the other a non-standard manual lock. The Twi'lek ran up to it. "The sewers is the only place where you'll see one of these on Taris. You can't use conventional security spikes on these old locks, but don't worry. I've come across them before." Mission stretched her arms out as she clicked her knuckles. Reaching into yet another pocket on her gilet, she pulled out a queer-looking handheld contraption. "I've rigged up a little device that should do the trick."

* * *

><p>Zaalbar had heard as well as felt the commotion happening outside of his cell. To his Wookiee ears, the sound of explosions and blasterfire pierced the monotony of his captivity. Though, to be honest, the Gamorreans had given him some form of entertainment. Looking down at the floor on his left, he thought ruefully of the slaver who'd had the bad sense to enter his cell. Or rather, what was left of the slaver; congealed grey-green blood was pooled around the corpulent corpse, rivulets dried to form a crusty layer of haemoglobin on the floor.<p>

Suddenly, there was a clicking coming from the locked door to his cell. Minutes passed before Zaalbar saw the door finally open to reveal - as opposed to what he'd readying himself to see - two humans (both male), and a blue Twi'lek girl.

Zaalbar roared in delight. [You're a sight for sore eyes, Mission!]

Mission ran up to him and hugged the Wookiee tightly. "I'm glad to see you too, Big Z! You didn't think I'd forget about you - Mission and Zaalbar, together forever!"

Letting go of Mission, Zaalbar asked, [Who's that with you?]

Mission brought Zaalbar up to speed about their journey down into the sewers.

[Don't mention it,] said Aaryn in Shyriiwook. [We were happy to help.]

[You know the language of my people?] Zaalbar said, amazed. [That is rare among your species. I am impressed.

[You have saved me from a life of servitude and slavery,] he continued. [The is only one way I can ever repay such an act: I will swear a lifedebt to you.]

Mission looked astounded. "A lifedebt?" she asked. "Are you sure about that, Big Z?"

He nodded. [I am sure, Mission. This is an issue of great importance to me; because of our great physical strength, Wookiees are being used as slave labour on our own homeworld. They see us as brutes and animals to be exploited. Over the years, slavers have taken many of my people; we must always be on guard against raids facing our villages. When the Gamorreans captured me, I thought I was doomed to a life of servitude. I have been saved from such a fate, and the only way I can repay that is through a lifedebt.]

"Big Z swearing a Wookiee lifedebt to you," said Mission, her face one of astonishment. "Wow. This is major. Do you realise what this means?"

Aaryn nodded. "It's some kind of loyalty vow, isn't it?"

"A lifedebt is the most solemn vow a Wookiee can make," explained Mission. "It means he'll stay by your side for the rest of your life. Wherever you go, whatever you do, Zaalbar will be there with you."

[In the presence of you all, I swear my lifedebt. Forever after I will be by your side, Aaryn Savo. May my vow be as strong as the roots of the great Wroshyr trees of Kashyyyk.] He held out his arm at Aaryn, hand open.

Aaryn stepped forward and took his arm in his own. "I'm honoured to accept this vow."

Mission grinned mischievously. "I guess this means you're stuck with me, too. Wherever Big Z goes, I'm going. I almost lost him once - it's not going to happen again."

Carth came forward to shake Mission's hand, and smiled. "We're glad to have you aboard, Mission."

"Sooo... I guess I owe you one secret path into the Vulkar base. That was the deal, wasn't it?" She shrugged. "Don't worry, I know a backdoor into that scum den!"

* * *

><p><em><em>PALESIA CENTRAL COMMAND, LANNIK<em>_

Darkness of night pervaded where the artificial light could not. What was left of the command center, a smouldering and smoking husk of a ruin, lay amid what was once the city of Palesia. Local police as well as Republic forces surrounded the vestiges of wreckage; medics treated those who'd been injured, covered those who hadn't survived.

Dodonna sat in a medical speeder, her injuries being seen to by a male Nautolan. Trying to strike a deal with Malak had backfired on her, big-time. _The folly with dealing with a Sith Lord_, she thought dourly to herself. Yes, Dodonna had won the Battle of Lannik, but it had been a pyrrhic victory at best. Latest reports indicated a ninety-two percent loss of Sith forces in the bombardment; sixty-eight percent of Republic forces had been taken with them. Buildings had become mass tombs. Blast craters had become mass graves. _It was far too close_.

"Admiral?"

Dodonna turned to the medic, who was beginning to put his equipment away.

"I've sutured the gash on your head - you'll need to keep the memory-plastic as clean as you can for the next week or so. Try not to put any weight on that ankle either, or you'll find yourself bawling in pain. Other than that, you're free to go, ma'am."

The admiral nodded her acknowledgement as he left to address the next patient, a female corpsman with a heavily-bloodied uniform. Behind them, Dodonna could make out the off-white garments that belonged to Master Sunrider; the Jedi was stood over an unconscious Twi'lek who was missing both legs from the waist down. Hobbling over to Vima, Dodonna asked, "Is he likely to wake?"

Vima took a moment to answer. Her red hair was tussled and caked in dust, as was her clothing. "Not for several hours. Once we get him aboard a medical cruiser we can get him fitted for prosthetics." Opening her eyes, she turned to face Dodonna. "It won't take long for the chancellor to get wind of this slaughter, Forn."

Dodonna nodded.

"Most likely, you will be held accountable and brought before a court martial."

Dodonna nodded.

"This could mean the end of your military career."

Dodonna nodded.

Vima remained silent for a moment. "You'll let Tarkin get what he wants?" she asked non-sympathetically, a edge creeping into her voice.

"And just what is it that man even wants? He's unpredictable at the best of times."

"True. But you cannot rise to his bait, Forn. He wants you replaced, one way or another. If that includes butchering your career, so be it."

"If it comes to court martial? Who would you side with?" Dodonna asked, probing.

Vima sighed lightly. "I would side with the truth. Though if Tarkin pulls his strings, it'll do you no good."

The admiral frowned at that. "The Jedi know something about him."

Her friend studied her face, her blue eyes seeming to search Dodonna's soul. "The Council is... suspicious of him, yes. And no, I can't divulge to you what we have."

"But you're saying he's bad news?"

"Of course he is," replied Vima. "Anyone with half a midi-chlorian can see that."

"Hmpf. If only they'd seen that _before_ they elected him." Dodonna began walking toward what was left of her headquarters, Vima following. "There's a saying on my homeworld - 'que sera, sera.' Whatever will be, will be. If Tarkin wants to take me down for this, let him try. Otherwise, we go on fighting against Malak, and both he and Tarkin can go kark themselves."


End file.
